I have no idea why a friend of mine sent the Words for the Day post below. I sent it out back in 2020 in response to a question he posed and had long forgotten it. He sent the post with no explanation and when I sent him a text and asked why he sent it he wrote: “Aged well” (whatever that is supposed to mean). At any rate I read it and was amazed at the prophetic events I mentioned that have come to pass. Give it a read and see what you think . . .
“A friend of mine texted me last night and asked, “Will you share your insight on the near future of our republic?”
Hmmm . . . Well things look pretty bleak from where I sit at the moment. I imagine it will be like the Obama years, but worse. Freedom of speech, religion, and privacy will continue to be assaulted at warp speed. The persecution of those who disagree with the Woke culture that has sprung up will undoubtedly accelerate. The financial success enjoyed under Trump will end with high taxes, an invasion of immigrants with Biden’s open doors vow, not to mention climate change and more onerous regulations. Our national defense will regress, and China will make fools of our nation. And education will continue to decline with an attack on private and charter schools and powerful teachers unions demanding schools be shut down.
So, one might conclude that I fear the worst for our nation.
So what to do? Two quotes come to mind this morning, Winston S. Churchill – “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” People of faith need courage and they need to use it to get through these difficult times.
The Apostle Paul was no stranger to trials and tribulation. He said in Phil. 4:8 – And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise
At the time he wrote this he had been beaten unmercifully, stoned, shipwrecked, bitten by a poisonous snake, reviled by his former friends and so on and yet this was his advice????? I’m all for thinking about those things instead of the condition of the republic and I’m going to do just that when I go fishing this morning.
The other quote is from J.K. Rowling – “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.” The nation is divided and polarized and most everyone knows someone who takes the opposite position to their own. Many, pastors especially, bend and compromise the truth to placate and feed the “itching ears” of their congregations. However, if you don’t have the courage to stand for your convictions, what does that say about you? Stand up to those who go against your biblical values with all you have whether they be friend or foe.
In a nutshell I think the republic is going to experience tough times, but I plan to keep right on telling the truth and fighting evil using my Bible as my baseline until Jesus takes me home to heaven. If anyone doesn’t like it – Too bad . . . I’m also trying to do as Paul recommended in Phil. 4:8 and fix my mind and thoughts on truth, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable things. That one is difficult to do when we suffer but having the courage to accept our trials and continue to fight the good fight comes from none other than Jesus Christ. He exemplifies the things for which we should focus our thoughts.”
After I finished reading this I looked in my inbox and another friend had written this week and said in part:
“Paul understood how much grace had been given and was willing to accept the work and suffering the Lord would ask of him. It’s unfortunate that very few people understand how much grace they have been given, but; I believe you grasp the grace of God and how he pulled you from the pit of hell and, this is why he trusts you with very hard work (what most would call suffering). He has thus rewarded you with the fruits of those labors. Paul also was rewarded greatly for the fruits of his labor. He saw massive numbers come to Christ through his faithfulness, suffering and work.”
This reader is intuitive enough to understand that I recognize Christ gave us unimaginable grace to forgive our sins. And yes I am fully aware of the magnitude of sin and evil that wreaked havoc on my early life. I take my tiny portion of suffering in return with as much of a smile as I can muster with whatever grace my weak flesh will allow. I love Jesus and He loves me, and I am happy that I have been blessed, not just with a wonderful wife, family, and finance, but to see many come to know Jesus due in part to my “hard work”. My prayer is Draw closer to me Holy Spirit and let me partake of Your fruit!
Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith . . .