Creating Thought

"Do not be afraid of sudden fear nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes;" Proverbs 3:25 (NASB) This blog is not about various bible translations. However, there are times when one version can cause confusion and another or several others can help us understand.  I hear many who fear what lies ahead for us. Most hope for a revival and a restoration of our society based on Christian principles. I don't think that going to happen. I think the clock is nearing the Day of Christ.  What is sudden fear that we are not to be afraid of? - I think it is just what is happening. Suddenly we have things to be afraid of that we have not though of until the last 2-4 years. Things are happening that were unthinkable a very short time ago.  What is the onslaught of the wicked? - The word "onslaught" carries the idea of an attack and so I think that the verse predicts an attack of or by the wicked. Actually is reverse is more to the point.   A quick comparison

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. John 15:18-19 May I see a show of hands of those who seek to be hated?   No? None? I didn’t think so.   None of us want to be hated. We pretty much want to be liked at least, if not loved at most. It’s not going to happen – at least not from this society.   There is a world of people out there and around us and trying to be loved or liked by them just might be one of the most dangerous goals we can set for ourselves. Do I really have to explain that I am not suggesting we make ourselves unlikable? Do  I really need to say that I am not recommending that we make an effort to be disliked or hated? I hope that is understood.   Oh we can be liked and loved by the world if we want to but the cost is going to be prett

For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him but also to suffer for His sake. Philippians 1:29 [This verse stayed on my mind for some time and here is another go at it.]    Imagine yourself as a merchant in the first century about 50 AD and you live in the city of Philippi. In to your town comes a man who happens to be a Jew but not the kind of Jew you were used to seeing and knowing. This Jew has a message about a person called Jesus the Christ. After listening to him, you come to believe him and began to learn about a new way to live and a new God to worship. Your life changes and you become a part of the Philippian Church – a gathering of those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God and God himself.   This travelling Jew is named Paul and he claims to be an Apostle of Jesus. One day he travels on with his message to other towns but you keep in touch through messages and letters. One day a letter arrives from this person Paul and

"For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,"  Philippians 1:29 Directly out of the first chapter of the letter to the Philippians by the Apostle Paul - the book in the Bible that often is referred to as the "Book of Joy" or "Book of Rejoicing" because Paul writes so much about joy and rejoicing.  But this does not sound like a reason to rejoice. It is not the most pleasant thought - that we have been granted "also to suffer for His sake." But it is. It will happen and it will likely be happening in our country more and more in the days ahead than has happened in the days past.  We are facing the reality of the blessings of knowing Christ Jesus and our profession of that knowledge will be tested. Christ Jesus is interested in separating out those who profess but do not believe. Those who claim to believe but actually have not come to Him in truth and in repentance seeking Hi