Our nation is in serious trouble and we face problems of many different sorts—natural disasters, terrorism, war, crime, political corruption, and a host of other things, all of which put tremendous pressure on us. How we respond hurts or helps. And I’ve noticed that some people end up in disaster by trying to escape disaster. It happens because they are driven by dread, prompted by paranoia to do foolish things.

What we need to remember is that achieving preparedness is important, but so is avoiding paranoia. Sadly some people aren’t very good at either. Some don’t prepare for anything and some go to the extreme in the other direction. It’s obvious the some people are running scared. They have armed themselves to the teeth, stashed cash, stored food, hoarded supplies, etc., etc., but they still are not at peace. They are paranoid and it shows.

Surely we ought to be prepared, but there has to be a limit. We need to maintain a balance– even when it comes to something so important as being prepared. Recognizing the possibility of a disaster should not push us over the edge into a disaster of a different sort. The old saying, “Do something even if it is wrong” is just plain stupid. Panic just make a bad situation worse.

It seems to me that we need to chill-out, calm-down, and cheer-up. We need to take a deep breath, collect our thoughts, get our feet on the ground and be realistic. It is indeed a difficult and dangerous world, but driving a car is probably the most dangerous thing we face, and we usually make it home safe just fine. Too many time we get all worked up over nothing. Could we have a wreck? Sure we could–we could even get killed. But should we stop driving to eliminate the risk? Absolutely not! Christians are to live by faith, not in fear. They are expected to be at peace, rather than panic. They should know that God’s grace is sufficient to sustain them regardless of  their circumstances.

A day after Britain declared war on Germany in 1939, the Ministry of Information came up with the idea to print three posters to boost the nation’s morale. The first, with white letters on a blue background, said,”YOUR COURAGE YOUR CHEERFULNESS YOUR RESOLUTION WILL BRING US VICTORY”. The second, with white letters on green, said, “FREEDOM IS IN PERIL DEFEND IT WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT”. The third, to be distributed only if the Germans invaded, had white letters on a red background. It said, “KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON”. That sounds like the kind of advice we need today. We can’t “carry on” effectively unless we “calm down”.

Dear friend, times are tough, and we need to prepare for what might happen, but we must avoid paranoia that leads to panic. Our response should be helpful rather than harmful. We would do well to “KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON”. As someone has said, “If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it”. Whatever “it” is, nothing is too big for God! Trust Him and obey Him. He will not fail you. Think about it!

FOUNDED BY GENIUSES BUT RUN BY IDIOTS

[Borrowed from a FaceBook wall with no attribution/origin]

1. If you can get arrested for hunting or fishing without a license, but not
for being in the country illegally, you might live in a country founded by
geniuses but run by idiots.

2. If you have to get your parents permission to go on a field trip or take
an aspirin in school, but not to get an abortion, you might live in a
country founded by geniuses but run by idiots.

3. If you have to show identification to board an airplane, cash a check,
buy liquor, or check out a library book, but not to vote, you might live in
a country founded by geniuses but run by idiots.

4. If the government wants to ban stable, law-abiding citizens from owning
gun magazines with more than ten rounds, but gives 20 F-16 fighter jets to
the crazy new leaders in Egypt, you might live in a country founded by
geniuses but run by idiots.

5. If, in our largest city, you can buy “two” 16-ounce sodas, but not a
24-ounce soda because 24-ounces of a sugary drink might make you fat, you
might live in a country founded by geniuses but run by idiots.

6. If an 80-year-old woman and 3 yr old child can be stripped searched by
the TSA, but a woman in a hijab is only subject to having her neck and head
searched, you might live in a country founded by geniuses but run by idiots.

7. If your government believes that the best way to eradicate trillions of
dollars of debt is to spend trillions more, you might live in a country
founded by geniuses but run by idiots.

8. If a seven year old boy can be thrown out of school for saying his
teacher is cute, but hosting a sexual exploration or diversity class in
grade school is perfectly acceptable, you might live in a country founded by
geniuses but run by idiots.

9. If children are forcibly removed from parents who discipline them with
spankings while children of addicts are left in filth and drug infested
homes, you might live in a country founded by geniuses but run by idiots.

10. If hard work and success are met with higher taxes and more government
intrusion, while not working is rewarded with EBT cards, WIC checks,
Medicaid, subsidized housing, and free cell phones, you might live in a
country founded by geniuses but run by idiots.

11. If you pay your mortgage faithfully, denying yourself the newest big
screen TV while your neighbor buys iPhones, TVs and new cars, and the
government forgives his debt when he defaults on his mortgage, you might
live in a country founded by geniuses but run by idiots.

12. If being stripped of the ability to defend yourself makes you more safe
according to the government, you might live in a country founded by geniuses
but run by idiots.

I just read an article by someone, who is considered “in-the-know”,who said of  North Korea, “While it cannot win a war, it can cause enormous damage and the loss of life even without nuclear weapons.” As soon as I read that I thought about the spiritual warfare that every Christian is engaged in. What we should never forget is this— we are not fighting for victory, but from victory! The victory has already been won by Christ! Satan is a defeated foe, and he knows it. He cannot win! He is doomed for destruction and his time is short. Although he might win some battles against those who are asleep at their post, he has already lost the war. He can inflict a lot of damage but he cannot destroy us. It is we who destroy ourselves— when we forget that Satan has already been defeated and we yield to his temptations and step into his traps. As Christians we have no excuse for our failures—“greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world”(1 John 4:4). We only lose by giving in and/or giving up. We have victory in Jesus—don’t just sing it, claim it!

In recent days we have heard much talk about the death of Christ. All this talk reminds me of a book I read many years ago. I’ll never forget the first time I read “The Cross He Bore”, by Frederick Leahy. Here is a brief example of why it made such a deep impression on my heart:

Gethsemane means “the oil press.” David could say, “I am like a green olive tree in the house of God” (Psalm 52:8). Israel in her long history could say the same. But the suffering Savior could say it best of all, for there in Gethsemane–the oil press–he was crushed and bruised without mercy. But how and why? How is the sudden and dramatic change of atmosphere to be explained, even in a measure? Christ knew all along the death that awaited him. He had grappled with Satan and his legions more than once. He had repeatedly spoken of his death to his disciples, telling them what that death would accomplish. He had prayed with the utmost confidence in his high priestly prayer (John 17). Why, then, is there this sudden plunge into such awful agony, why this shuddering horror? Why is this fruit of the olive tree so severely crushed? Why does the divine record say that in Gethsemane our Lord BEGAN to be sorrowful, sorrowful in a new and terrible way? Was it not because God began forsaking him then? How else is this sorrow unto death to be understood?

“Jesus wept,” but never like this. No previous sorrow of his could match this. At the time of his arrest he declared, “Shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given me?” (John 18:11). That cup was constantly in view as he prayed in Gethsemane. What cup? “THIS CUP“–not some future cup. The cup that was symbolized in the feast (Matt. 26:27,28) was now actual: God was placing it in the Savior’s hands and it carried the stench of hell. But stop!

Schilder is right. “Gethsemane is not a field of study for our intellect. It is a sanctuary for our faith.” Lord, forgive us for the times we have read about Gethsemane with dry eyes.

THINK ABOUT IT!

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil— Isaiah 5:20

Do you not find it strange how we change the name of something, or legalize it, or get the majority in favor of it, and suddenly it is suppose to be okay? Does that make sense? Too what extent do you take that? Go ahead, let your imagination run wild—picture the possibilities! Does “anything go” as long as it meets this criteria? Are you the one who decides what is right and wrong? If so, how did you get that position? What are your qualifications? Shall every man do what is right in his own eyes? Yet this is exactly where we find ourselves today when we rule out God’s Word as the sure standard by which all else is to be judged. The same nation that has been so greatly blessed by God has now dis-barred Him from the courtroom of our lives. We no longer recognize Him as an/the authority figure. We refuse to have Him rule over us.

Do you not see the hypocrisy of this? Some of the same people who turn to the Bible to find comfort when they’re troubled, refuse to obey it when it comes to it regulating the manner in which they live. They even pray to God and ask for help when they are in need, but they refuse to listen when He speaks. In other words, they want to use God when it’s convenient, but they have no use for Him when He interferes with the way they want to live. It is as though they think themselves to be wiser than God.

This is not only hypocritical, it is harmful. If the Bible is true, and it is, rebellion against it results in ruin. We reap what we sow—and more. At this very moment some of you are suffering the consequences of your sin–yet you continue to deny it, and even defend the very sin that is destroying you. Does that make sense? Some of you are miserable, your sin has not brought the pleasure you hoped for, yet you continue on the same path. Why?

You will never experience the peace and joy you long for until you confess and repent of your sin. Changing the name, making it legal, and promoting it until it’s popular doesn’t change the fact that it is sin. And the wages of sin is death.Call it whatever you will, changing its name doesn’t change its character. Calling evil good doesn’t make it good. And thinking you will escape sin’s consequences does not mean you will. You can make yourself believe anything but you can never make evil good by calling it good. It’s a fool’s game and you always lose. Sin is like a boat anchor tied around your neck—you can go through all the motions of swimming and try with all your might, but it will eventually pull you down to your destruction.

God has given us His infallible Word and righteous standards to live by that are for our own good. If you aren’t going to follow the Bible what will you use to guide your actions? Your own judgment? The advice of others? How’s that been working for you? Don’t you think it is time to give up your foolish notions and listened to God? He has never misled anyone and He won’t fail you. His will is right, best and safest. Think about it!