Wickedness was just a calling out for the wayward soul.”
--D.C. Adkisson (Redemption)
"Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually."
--Genesis 6:5 (NASB)
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I've started a study in Proverbs. There are so many ways a person can go about studying this book. I figured to just go verse by verse but also concentrate on the main characters of Proverbs: wise, fool, simple, mocker/scorner, and lazy. I came across a piece I want to share this morning by Charles Bridges, a minister in the first half of the 19th-century. The verse, Proverbs 10:30, has a message for the day, but also seems to include some prophecy.
"The righteous shall never be removed; but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth." (King James)
"The righteous will never be shaken, but the wicked will not remain on the earth." (Holman)
"The [consistently] righteous shall never be removed, but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth [eventually]." (Amplified)
We know that there are wicked people currently on the earth and it will be that way until the Lord reigns. I like the Amplified, for it gives hope to me, "[consistently] righteous", and eventually the earth will be rid of the wicked. Notice that Bridges gives references to other Scriptures. It would be good for you to look them up.
"The frailty of our present condition, common to all (Ecc 9:2,11), was not in the wise man's eye; but the state of the two classes as in the purpose and mind of God. His way is strength to the upright. The righteous, walking steadily in the way, shall never be removed (Ps 15; 37:22;112:6;125:1; 2 Pet 1:5-11). 'They enjoy in this life by faith and hope their everlasting life.' 'No weapon that is formed against them shall prosper. The mountains shall depart and the little hills shall be removed: but my loving-kindness shall not depart from thee; neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed; saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee' (Is 54:10). Is not this a confidence that earth nor hell can never shake (Rom 8:38-30)?
"The wicked--have they any such confidence? So far from being never removed, they shall never inhabit! They have no title, like the righteous (Mt 5:5; 1 Cor 3:22), as sons and heirs, to the blessings of earth; no hope or interest in the land, of which the earth is a type (Ps 37:29). Often are they cut off from inhabiting the one (Pro 10:27; 2:22; Ps 37:22; Eze 33:24-26). Never will they be suffered to inhabit the other (1 Cor 6:9; Rev 21:27). As our character is, so is our hope and prospect. We gain or lose both worlds."
No matter what we see happening around us we should walk confidently that in the light of eternity we shall never be removed. The wicked laugh and scoff now, but they have no eternal reality on this earth or in heaven. Their eternal reality will be the Lake of Fire. My Christian friend, do not shun the righteous life for by living it you will never be shaken.
Echoes from the Campfire
Echoes From the Campfire
Towns were the breeding-ground of greed and avarice, treachery and injustice, the places where men preyed on men and where corruption rose up with its ugly head and tried to swallow all that was good and decent, all that was precious and rare.”
–Jory Sherman (Death Rattle)
“He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.”
–Deuteronomy 32:4 (NKJV)
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Do you ever look at what’s happening in this country and wonder what in the world is going on? Has the nation gone mad? Where is common sense; where is truth, justice, and the American way? Think of Jeremiah when he was taken by the leaders because of his message from God and is lowered into a cistern. There was no water there, only mud, darkness and gloom. Where was God? Where was justice?
Jeremiah had preached against those in government who were doing wrong. He also preached against those in government who were silent and sort of just went along with those who were outspoken. In Psalm 58, David found himself among those in high places who are either blind to injustice or commit it themselves. I am using the New Living Translation because I especially like the first verse.
1 – Justice–do you rulers know the meaning of the word? Do you judge the people fairly?
2 – No, all your dealings are crooked; you hand out violence instead of justice.
3 – These wicked people are born sinners; even from birth they have lied and gone their own way.
4 – They spit poison like deadly snakes; they are like cobras that refuse to listen,
5 – ignoring the tunes of the snake charmers, no matter how skillfully they play.
6 – Break off their fangs, O God! Smash the jaws of these lions, O LORD!
7 – May they disappear like water into thirsty ground. Make their weapons useless in their hands.
8 – May they be like snails that dissolve into slime, like a stillborn child who will never see the sun.
9 – God will sweep them away, both young and old, faster than a pot heats on an open flame.
10 – The godly will rejoice when they see injustice avenged. They will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 – Then at last everyone will say, “There truly is a reward for those who live for God; surely there is a God who judges justly here on earth.”
George Rogers reminds us that, “The principles of the wicked are even worse than their practices; premeditated violence is doubly guilty.” Take a look at the cities in America with their riots and their anti-police chants and stand. There is a cry for injustice, for anarchy. David is angry when he sees the injustice around him, and we should be as well. Call it anger, call it righteous indignation, when we see injustice around us: anarchy, abortion, displacement of godly values there should rise up within our souls an anger.
Anger has its place. It is not wrong to become angry; it is wrong to become angry and sin. Without the feeling deep inside our soul that rages against injustice we would become passive–silent. However, anger should not overwhelm us, and if we do become angry we need to do as David did–take it to the Lord. In the midst of injustice raise a cry, but remember God is watching, not only your reaction, but also those who are committing the injustice. There is a dreadful time coming for those if they do not repent of their evil-doings. Also remember, the righteous will be rewarded by the “God who judges justly.”
“Satan tells us we’re weak; our hope is in vain.
The good that we seek we’ll never obtain.
But he can’t take from us (though often he’s tried)
The heart-cheering promise–The Lord will provide.”
–John Newton
Echoes From the Campfire
The one law that does not change is that everything changes, and the hardship I was bearing today was only a breath away from the pleasures I would have tomorrow, and those pleasures would be all the richer because of the memories of this I was enduring.”
–Louis L’Amour (Galloway)
“My son, fear the Lord and the king; Do not associate with those given to change.”
–Proverbs 24:21 (NKJV)
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My mercy, I looked in the mirror on Friday, and I was surprised at what I saw. I figured that there would be the dashing, athletic person of yesteryear, but what I saw was that age had creeped in. Why some of my hair was gray, and so was my moustache. My blue eyes must have faded (probably due to overwashing my face) because I remembered them as a deep blue. Age had made some changes.
I can remember diving for ground balls, and sliding headfirst when taking an extra base on a hit. Now, sometimes the old hips ache when crossing the room. Working hard all day was no problem, now I need a nap between each job, and mostly they are little jobs. Hiking through the wilderness, man I could move, but now it’s hard to hike to the kitchen. Age, yep, it’s made some changes.
My eyes are still good, my hearing is good (at least to my way of thinking, I’m not sure if Annie would agree). If needed, my reflexes are still fairly good, but depending on the move I may feel it hurt some later. Age does that; it has a way of creeping up on you.
While I’m at changes, you may have noticed that I’m using a new email provider–gmail. I’ve been having so many problems with my old one, earthlink since they changed and updated their system that I decided to change. We’ll see what happens.
Listen, change is inevitable, but also get this: change is not necessarily good, and at the same time it is not necessarily bad. All change must be looked at with proper lenses. If someone asks you to change or compromise something contrary to God’s Word, that is bad–do not do it! There are many clamoring for Christians to buy into the changes of cancel culture, woke, BLM, and other nonsensical things that are not Biblical. In fact, because of that you might find yourself changing acquaintances, careers, places you shop, types of entertainment. Change will happen.
As we are led by the Holy Spirit we should see changes in our lives. We might see changes in vocation, and we might change some of the ways in which we think. However, be sure the change called for is from the Holy Spirit. He will always be in line with the Bible.
One more thought about change. We serve a God that never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. In fact, there is not even a shadow of turning in His actions, His words, His promises. We can live in this world of change knowing that we have a God that never changes and that is true for eternity.
Echoes From the Campfire
We’ll face it then. Nobody lives their life without having to face things from time to time.”
–Louis L’Amour (Hondo)
“My heart is in turmoil and cannot rest; Days of affliction confront me.”
–Job 30:27 (NKJV)
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How to Live in a Pagan, Apostate, and Foolish World
Key Verse: “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” –1 John 5:19 (NASB)
Know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that we are to be righteous in the evil world. Those in the world need to see the light even though they may fight against it. Know also that we are to have fellowship and communion with God as we travel through the world. One more thing that is essential; we are to have fullness of joy. If for no other reason it will make our enemies scratch their heads.
To have true fellowship with God; to have a true relationship with Him we must have righteousness. If we are to be God’s companion we must walk a righteous life; we must walk as He walked. Since we are children of God we are to be righteous. Everyone who is born of God doeth righteousness.
“If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him. See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.”
–1 John 2:29-3:1 (NASB)
Notice, as children of God we are to practice righteousness. This in not merely morality or living right, but righteous means the quality, the kind of life that was lived by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Will we be perfect? Never in the sense that Jesus was, but that does not mean that we cannot live a life for Him. It should bring shame to us when we look at those in the world and see some living a more righteous life than the child of God.
They may look at us strangely when we don’t do the things they do, go the places they go, say the things they say. We are children of the Most High. We have a certain position and a certain relationship that people of the world cannot understand. We have a blood relationship to God and a legal relationship with Him—He is our parent. We truly can sing, “I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God…”
A child is like his parent. He has similar characteristics and personality. To look at a child a person can see the parent in them whether it be attributes or actions. There is another important aspect a child has—they carry the name of the parents, hence the name Christian–”Christ-like.” We are not of the world, we are of our Father. Our manner of living should not be the same as those in the world.