No man likes to stand against odds, yet sometimes it is the only way.  No man likes to face a greater power than himself, and especially when there are always the coattail hangers who will render lip service to anyone who seems to be top dog.  It brings a bitterness to a man, and especially when he is right.”
              –Louis L’Amour  (Silver Canyon)

    “Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.”
              –Ephesians 6:13 (NLT)
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    People have sought to have their own way since the very beginning.  They seek to be autonomous and overthrow God.  That was the deception of Satan in the garden, “you shall be as God.”  Rebellious humanity tries to tell God to move over or that He doesn’t exist at all.

         “Why do the nations rebel and the peoples plot in vain?  The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers conspire together against the LORD and His Anointed One:  ‘Let us tear off their chains and free ourselves from their restraints.'”
                   –Psalm 2:1-3 (HCSB)

I like the verse from the NLT, “Why do the nations rage?  Why do the people waste their time with futile plans?”  People, and that includes nations, do not want to be told what to do by a god.  They do not want to be under His moral authority.  The thought of the sovereignty of God makes their hackles raise and they begin to plot.  Leaders, not only political and national, attempt to stand against God.  It would be wise for us, especially in the election year to look closely at those who are running for office.  Remember, leaders are also philosophers, physicists, teachers, and I’m afraid today, the media has attempted to take a leadership role along with entertainers.
    Look at what this rebellion causes the Lord to do.  First of all, it cause Him to laugh.  This is one of three places in Scripture where it says that God laughs.  (Ps 2:4; 37:13; 59:8)  I have often heard people say that God has a sense of humor, but he is only recorded to laugh at these things.  Man may be serious in his rebellion, but God only laughs.  To Him it is but puny insubordination.  The next three verses give a sequence to what God does when people rebel.

         “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord ridicules them.  Then He speaks to them in His anger and terrifies them in His wrath: ‘I have consecrated My King! on Zion, My holy mountain.'”
                    –Psalm 2:4-6 (HCSB)

    Funny how people think they are in charge.  They cry, “Where is God?” and mock and scorn.  It would be a good idea to heed the words of Thomas Adams, “We should not judge God’s drama until the final act.”  The second thing we should notice is that after God laughs He becomes angry.  Rebellion makes God laugh then ignites His anger.  The nations may rage, but now they will tremble at God’s anger.  Following His anger there is wrath.  Rebellion brings God to action.  Woe unto those when God begins to bring His wrath upon the earth.
    The Roman emperor, Diocletian had a goal to kill all the Christians.  He declared himself the high god.  This was the “Great Persecution”, the most severe of any during the Roman Empire; it was so terrible that the Church thought they were in the midst of the Great Tribulation that John wrote about in Revelations.  At the same time Diocletian was persecuting Christians his wife and daughter were turning to Christ.  Following him was Constantine who made Christianity a legal religion.  Hmmmm, who had the last laugh?

                  “Our God the Father from his throne
                   Laughs at their pride, their rage controls
                   He’ll vex their hearts with pains unknown
                   And speak in thunder to their souls.”
                         –Old Scottish Psalter

    These six verses could very well be prophetic as well.  They make speak of the last days when the Antichrist will attempt to war against God.  I think He will laugh, then His anger will swell and burst out with His wrath upon the Antichrist and his followers.

No memory will keep you warm on a cold night, or have the coffee hot when you come in from the rain.”
              –Louis L’Amour  (The Man From the Broken Hills)

    “She watches over the activities of her household and is never idle.”
              –Proverbs 31:27 (HCSB)
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One of my resolutions has been to read more of the great men of faith.  I am currently reading Pink’s book about Elisha and just finished reading Stanley’s book, How I Found Livingstone.  This book is mostly about the travels of Stanley in his search for David Livingstone, but upon locating the missionary he writes much about the character of the man.  Here are a couple of excepts from the book.

         “As this was an unusually long march, I doubted if the Doctor [Livingstone] could march it, because his feet were so sore, so I determined to send four men back with the kitanda; but the stout old hero refused to be carried, and walked all the way to camp after a march of eighteen miles.  He had been stung dreadfully in the head and in the face; the bees had settled in handfuls in his hair; but, after partaking of a cup of warm tea and some food, he was as cheerful as if he had never travelled a mile.”  (Sir Henry M. Stanley)

         “To the stern dictates of duty, alone, has he [Livingstone] sacrificed his home and ease, the pleasures, refinements, and luxuries of civilized life.  His is the Spartan heroism, the inflexibility of the Roman, the enduring resolution of the Anglo-Saxon–never to relinquish his work, though his heart yearns for home; never to surrender his obligations until he can write Finis to his work.”   (Sir Henry M. Stanley)

    Such men truly have had an experience with the Lord.  There is something deep in their soul that they understand and that drives them to such dedication.  Not that we, in our comfort, do not love the Lord, but He sets forth certain men and women to do work for him that, in which we stand in awe.  In reading of Livingstone and others, I can understand the words of the writer of Hebrews, “men of whom the world was not worthy” (Hebrews 11:38, NASB).
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    Which way are you going in life, backward or forward?  There is no such thing as neutral in the journey of life.  Life, especially for the Christian, is never static.  One must either grow in grace, or there is a backsliding and deterioration.  We cannot allow ourselves to drift; that is one reason why doctrine is so important.  It gives us stability as we bring it into our soul.

              “The backslider in heart will have his fill of his own ways, But a good man will be satisfied with his.”
                        –Proverbs 14:14(NASB)

    There are times when you may not have that assurance that you are a Christian.  If so, examine yourself.  “Worldliness, carnal indulgence of any kind, unfaithfulness as to your Christian responsibilities, the harboring of malice or ill-will toward others–all or any of these things are calculated to destroy your sense of assurance.” (Henry A. Ironside)
    Dare to plod forward, though the way, at times, even uphill.  Go forward, do not drift and do not slide backward.  In other words, do not become careless in your walk with the Lord.  Give diligence, especially in the time in which we live to walk with Him.

As he sat there watching the embers, he knew that he had never been meant for the crowd, for work in an office, for gambling in business deals with men.  Peace hovered somewhere near him.”
              –Zane Grey (Wyoming)

    “Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.”
              –Psalm 34:14 (NLT)
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Peace, ah, sweet wonder.  Peace is something that many seek, and never really find.  Oh, there may be peace in their community, but not in their minds or soul.  Peace comes from the calm assurance that Jesus is Lord and has everything under control.  He brings peace in the midst of the storm.  When calamity comes, whether in the physical or spiritual, He will give peace.

              “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me.'”
                         –Isaiah 44:6 (NASB)

    Atheists and agnostics used to really annoy me, and at times I shake my head at their arrogance and stupidity, but I feel more pity for them than anything.  They seem to be in more turmoil than most folks.  The reason is simple:  they don’t believe in God.  Psychologists may have their formula for peace in the soul, but really it doesn’t go very far.  Recite a mantra, do yoga, get a fish tank, think “cool” thoughts and on I could go.
    If a person really wants to have calmness in their soul they need to start with the realization that there is a God and that He is in control of the universe.  They may go to books, even the Bible, but remember, the Holy Writ is not concerned primarily to give us a quiet heart.  That is one of the reasons even Christians run elsewhere.  People want immediate consulation and comfort.  God does not see that as primary.
    It is not enough to simply get rid of remorse or the agony of the mind.  He is suffering and wants his soul calmed.  It may actually be God allowing the agony so that the individual will seek Him.  Instead of removing the agony, the person should be interested in health–total health in every realm–spiritual, mental, emotional, physical.  
    We are caught in a world that says, “seek happiness.”  I’ve heard people say, “All I want is for so and so to be happy.”  Wrong!  They should want them to come to a full knowledge of the Lord.  “People come to God to have some temporary relief of pain, something that makes them happy.” (Lloyd-Jones).  Listen, happiness, joy, peace, the absence of pain and trouble, are always by-products.  The real aim is to hunger and thirst after righteousness.

                   “Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied.”
                               –Matthew 5:6 (AMP)

Look at the last phrase, “completely satisfied.”  Nothing necessarily about happiness, but there is satisfaction in seeking after the Lord and letting Him satisfy and calm the soul.