I am going to incorporate my devotional and my observation of what is happening in this present world in one blog post today.  As I have prayed, studied, read, mused, contemplated, and examined what I see happening in today’s world, the thought came to mind, “This is us, and this is our time.”  As I read the Bible I am constantly confronted with what could be an exegesis of today’s world and it is almost as though I am reading newspaper headlines and hearing newscasts.  It is troubling but in that dark cloud I find a ray of sunshine and can see the silver lining behind the dark and ominous clouds of today.  This will resonate with some and will be objectionable to others, but it is my view and so deeply embedded in my thinking I cannot sit silently.  Therefore, if it resonates with you hopefully, it will inspire you to invest yourself more deeply in find solutions and restoration.  If it does not, I still pray that it will motivate you to more deeply examine what is happening and in so doing, I believe you will begin to see Who We Are and The Time In Which We Are Living.  I write from a platform of Hope rather than Despair and with a desire to Unite Not Divide.

In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, we find this description of the Last Days, “But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]. ² For people will be lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane, ³ [and they will be] unloving [devoid of natural human affection, calloused and inhumane], irreconcilable, malicious gossips, devoid of self-control [intemperate, immoral], brutal, haters of good, ⁴ traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of [sensual] pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith]. Avoid such people and keep far away from them.”  Can we examine that briefly?

Depending on the translation or version of the Bible you use the descriptive phrases of these times include, “perilous, difficult, dangerous,” and other adjectives, all of which highlight the graveness of that period, time, or era.  We are living in a world where terrorism is rampant, mass murders all to commonplace, genocide acceptable on many levels, lasciviousness and debauchery deemed accepted norms.  We are living in a world that has become SELF-CENTERED to the point of danger.  Hollywood, the media, activist, organizations, and politicians are giving praise to groups that can only be described as radical hate groups.  I don’t care if it is the KKK or the Black Panthers, ANTIFA, or any other group if that group’s focus is hatred toward opposing views or ethnicities THEY ARE EVIL and should be condemned.  The Entitlement Mentality of so many today is dangerous on many levels.  Life is not and will never be FAIR in the sense that everyone gets the same thing regardless of effort or involvement.  Bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people or as the Bible says, “God sends the rain on the just and unjust alike.”  There will be an accounting of our lives when we stand before God in Judgment but here on planet earth, Life is Not Always Fair!

GREED is rampant and so infectious in our society that we violate one of the basic commandments of God, “Thou shalt not covet…”  Wicked people, with wicked agendas, have found that they can fan the flames of hate through envy, jealousy and drive a wedge between people based on WHAT THEY HAVE and WHAT THEY DO NOT HAVE.  Racial discord and prejudice is an affront to the biblical truth that we are ALL, everyone one of us, CREATIONS OF GOD and members of the Human Family or Human Race.  The highlighting of various ethnicities as RACES is damaging to our ability to move forward productively as Human Beings.  The Love of Money inspires actions or attitudes that are anathema to the very principles of common decency.  The arrogance of today’s world and the political correctness that is INTOLERANT to the point that any disagreement of the PC Police’s mandate must be silenced, and the offender destroyed.  That is foreign to the heart of God and violates the core tenets of the Bible.   Let me walk through the list in Timothy alone and you decide if this is us and describes our time.  Narcissism, Self-Focus, Lovers of Self, Lovers of Money, Impelled by Greed, Boastful, Arrogant, Revilers, Disobedient to Parents, Ungrateful, Unholy, Profane, Unloving and Devoid of Natural Human Affections, Calloused, Inhumane, Irreconcilable, Malicious Gossips, Devoid of Self-Control, Intemperate, Immoral, Brutal, Haters of Good, Traitors, Reckless, Conceited, Lovers of Sensual Pleasure rather than Lovers of God, Outward Religion with no substance and foundation, values or commitment, and the like.   Tell me that is not descriptive of our time!

We are a DIVIDED NATION and PEOPLE.  I am reminded of the admonition of the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 12:14-22 about the human body and the Body of Christ.  If you will allow me, I also compare that to the Human Race and even the United States.  Our Pledge says, “One Nation Under God…”  Our Declaration of Independence declares, “All men are created equal…”  The human hand is a hand and has a specific function and the hand will never be a foot, an ear, an eye, or a nose but it is no less a part of the human body than those members.  The hand cannot function effectively or efficiently without the brain and the other parts of the body.  No matter your ethnicity, socioeconomic status in life, education, or public prominence YOU ARE IMPORTANT.  You have a part to play and although the political elite and many activists do not believe that those who look different, believe differently, or think differently are valuable – YOU ARE!  You are important for the Nation, the Republic, Society, and the Kingdom of God.

The depravity of our day, the events transpiring in our world, the state of politics, the focus on WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME is causing our foundations to crumble as a nation, a society, and individuals.  This is Us, and this is Our Time!  If we continue the HATRED and allow the CONTEMPT for everything not in harmony with our preference to continue to be bred and promoted, we will incur such destruction that we will despair of life.  I AM SOUNDING AN ALARM!  Yes, I speak from my Faith, but I also speak from my love for Country.  I want to resolve the issues confronting us in America.  I want to see the Greatness that America enjoyed for decades and over two centuries to be restored.  I want to see the “propitious smiles of heaven” upon this nation and see a return to the place where nationally we are, “One nation under God with liberty and justice for all.”  I want us to return to a recognition that, “All men are created equal and endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”  I want to see us return to a place spiritually, where we recognize God and seek the smile of His providence upon this nation.  I want to see us return to a place societally or socially, where we respect the differences of others and treasure each other as members of the same family – The Human Family.  Can we return to that place?  I BELIEVE YES! 

This may not set well with everyone but I believe the prescription is found in 2 Chronicles 7:14-13 – “If I shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or if I command locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence and plague among My people, ¹⁴ and My people, who are called by My Name, humble themselves, and pray and seek (crave, require as a necessity) My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear [them] from heaven, and forgive their sin and heal their land.”  THERE IS A REMEDY!

I love America, I love my Family, I love my Freedom, and most importantly I love My God, the Living God, the God of the Bible.  I will pray for you and for America and hope you do the same for me and for the Republic.  My simple prayer is, “Father, Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done on Earth as it is in Heaven.”   Thank you for allowing me to express the cry of my heart.

God bless you, God bless America, and may we all, regardless of nationality experience the blessings of the Lord and learn to live in peace.