Experience had taught him to take the exigencies of his turbulent life as they came, nonchalantly, to the eye of an observer indifferently, getting all the comfort the situation had to offer.”
              –William MacLeod Raine  (Crooked Trails and Straight)

    “When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.  Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”
              –John 21:9-10 (NIV)
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Do troubles seem to dog your footsteps?  Do you feel like the world is out to get you?  Look at the situation that we’re currently in and behind the scenes, in some places, the wicked are trying to destroy the things of God.  Some are using the havoc of the situation to help them fulfill their evil agenda.  Let’s look at this section of Psalm 37 to see if we can gain a glimmer of truth and hope.

    12 – The wicked person schemes against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him.
    13 – The Lord laughs at him because He sees that his day is coming.
    14 – The wicked have drawn the sword and strung the bow to bring down the afflicted and needy and to slaughter those whose way is upright.
    15 – Their swords will enter their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
    16 – The little that the righteous man has is better than the abundance of many wicked people.
    17 – For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord supports the righteous.
    18 – The Lord watches over the blameless all their days, and their inheritance will last forever.
    19 – They will not be disgraced in times of adversity; they will be satisfied in days of hunger.
    20 – But the wicked will perish; the Lord’s enemies, like the glory of the pastures, will fade away—
they will fade away like smoke.
    21 – The wicked man borrows and does not repay, but the righteous one is gracious and giving.
    22 – Those who are blessed by Him will inherit the land, but those cursed by Him will be destroyed. (HCSB)

    This is one of the few places in the Scriptures where it is stated that God laughs.  He laughs as the wicked plot and scheme; He is the righteous Judge and knows that it is for naught for He sees the day of their judgment.  Man may do his best to thwart God, attempt to turn God’s moral code into shambles, mock holiness, and cause derision, but God just laughs.  Maybe we should be a “Selah” there and just think of that for a moment.
    In these times of trial God watches over us.  The New Living Translation puts verse 18, “day by day” the Lord watches over us.  He will take care of His own, His mercies are fresh and new every morning.  There may be wars, famine, and pestilence, but God is there and He will care for us.
    Don’t seek to appease evil.  Don’t covet their possessions or their lifestyle.  It may seem they have things going their way, but they will never succeed.  Right now they do not hear the laughter of God as He sits on His throne in heaven.  They do not realize, “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God!” (Hebrews 10:31, HCSB)  Therefore, do not look at the abundance of the wicked, but be grateful for what the Lord has given you.  

         “Through waves and clouds and storms
          His power will clear your way;
          Wait for his time; the darkest night
          Shall end in brightest day.”
                 –Paul Gerhardt

    A little side-note to the above verses.  “This hymn, ‘Give to the Winds Your Fears,’ became popular in Germany, second only in fame to Luther’s ‘A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.’  School children sang it as a graduation hymn, and in the United States, when the first Lutheran church was opened in Philadelphia in 1743, Gerhardt’s hymn was the first to be sung.” (William J. Petersen)

When you begin to analyze a man, there is always some one human trait that rises above all others.”
              –James Oliver Curwood (Back to God’s Country)

    “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
              –Romans 12:21 (NIV)
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         He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
         He sendeth more strength when the labors increase,
         To added affliction, He addeth His mercy,
         To multiplied trials, He multiplies peace.

         When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
         When our strength has failed ere the day is half-done,
         When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,
         Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

         His love has no limit, His grace has no measure,
         His power no boundary known unto men,
         For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,
         He giveth and giveth and giveth again.
                    –Annie Johnson Flint

There has been quite a bit of bemoaning and groaning.  Woe is me, I can’t see my friends and I’m down to my last roll of toilet paper.  I saw the above poem on Ravi Zacharias’ sight and realized that it was made into a song.  In our current plight, we should be concentrating on the goodness of God, not on the coronavirus.  Take time today, this weekend, to contemplate on the words of this poem.  The Lord continues to give, and give, and give, and…  

This was a savage land, a lonely land, yet here the foundations of our homes would be laid…  We accepted the danger but took no unnecessary risk.  It is a fool who invites trouble, a child who is reckless, for life holds risks enough without reaching out for more.”
              –Louis L’Amour  (Bendigo Shafter)

    “Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you will find it after many days. Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth.”
              –Ecclesiastes 11:1-2 (NASB)
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I wrote yesterday of the Rapture where those in Christ, both the dead and the living, will be caught up to meet with Jesus in the air.  The first time we actually see Him with our transformed bodies will be at that meeting in the air.
    To us, this is part of the mystery of the spiritual realm.  I know that when a Christian dies their spirit or soul goes to be with the Lord.  However, the body remains in the grave, waiting to be resurrected to join with the spirit.  The complete person can now look upon God and His glory for we will have a new, glorified body.
    We praise God as we sing about what those first moments in heaven will be like–“I Can Only Imagine.”  This is a great song, but I wonder…for I read that after death–the Judgment. “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27, NASB).  All believers, from the first mentioned martyr, Stephen, to the last to leave this earth will be standing at the Judgment Seat of Christ.  “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:10, NASB)
    Now, I don’t want to get involved with metaphysical mysticism, I couldn’t even if I wanted to, but after death comes the judgment.  Could it be, that when one dies time ceases to exist and they are thrust immediately to the judgment?  Where is God?  He is outside of time, He transcends time, He is omnipresent, therefore, He is already at the Judgment.  Where is man’s spirit after he dies?  Is the spirit just sitting around in heaven patiently waiting for his body to return?  This is way beyond my feeble, pea-brain, but the first thing on the heavenly agenda after the Rapture is the Judgment of all believers.  This judgment is not for sin, that was accomplished by Jesus on the cross, but this judgment is for what the believer has done–good or bad.
    Following the Judgment, the wedding bells will sound.  Judgment is over, it is time for the marriage.  A feast is prepared, and there has been much speculation on what it will be.  Some have said manna, others say the meal of the Passover.  Will it be Grandma’s biscuits ‘n’ gravy, or Annie’s apple pie?  Is it symbolic?  We have been fasting from the presence of Jesus and now we are with Him in His fullness.  I believe some of what we eat will commemorate the Lord’s Supper,  “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:29, NASB)
    We know little about heaven.  Paul said that it was unlawful for him to speak of it.  Jesus was asked (John 3) to speak of heaven. (I think He chuckled) for he replied you can’t even understand the simple things of earth and you ask of heaven.  Even John with his great revelation could not completely convey the concept of heaven to us.  Those left on earth will face unleashed evil, depravity, chaos from the devil and the wrath of God.  Yes, there will be judgment in heaven, but so feasting and praising.  Choose…