Does God Still Care About His Enemies? The Good and the Beautiful

We've recently finished studying Judges in Sunday School, and I was able to teach a few times. It is always so good to get to teach because of how much more study is accomplished. It is clear in Judges that God took His enemies VERY seriously. In looking at Samson alone, the wickedness of the Philistines was not something that God trifled with. In our culture of accepting everyone and all beliefs as valid, I think we need to be careful not to add to the problem. What is it that causes God to withhold His blessings upon us? Do we all, who follow Him, get the same blessings irrespective of what we do? I'm not talking salvation issues, but day to day living in obedience, which brings more blessings to God's children.  Here's some questions to ask as you consider life choices. 

Is God truth? 

Are we the friends of God if we teach truth? 

Are Mormons teaching truth? 

Are Mormons the friends of God? 

Do people with money gain more influence over our culture? 

I think it is valid to consider how many Christians willingly add to the immense financial coffers of Mormons by using The Good and the Beautiful homeschool curriculum. The issue isn't merely if anything anti true Christianity is taught, but are we not helping normalize this false religion by defending and supporting this curriculum? Do Mormons have a prominent influence in our world?

Things to look at and consider for the follower of Christ.

I do not know the woman who wrote this blog post and all the reasons behind it, nor do I care. I do care about this curriculum being made more mainstream if it is Bible believing Christians helping do it. 

https://homeschoolon.com/the-good-and-the-beautiful-controversy/

Deuteronomy 31:8 KJV [8] And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed

Samaritan's Purse Career Opportunities

https://careers.samaritanspurse.org/

Why has He given you the talents He's given you? Is your career meaningful?

Why Are You Downcast, Oh My Soul?

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 

Phil 4:19

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My life passage, mostly memorized in this translation. When the torrents continue from without in multiple ways....when strength is failing. Battles fought as a team against the outside forces of darkness press down.... I cannot but see the continual trials as anything but from the enemy masked in a multiplicity of ways and means. My High Priest allows all that reaches me. All that reaches us. But oh God, it is too much. I do not think we can take much more. Bring the relief quickly, Father. Words do fail. The anguish in my soul is tremendous. When will relief come? How much longer, oh Lord? In my desperation, it is You alone who can help. You alone know it all. And in my distress, You remind me...O Taste and See that the Lord is good! You will not leave me as an orphan! You turn my grief into joy, and all of this happens while circumstances remain the same. I will not be thwarted by those who intimate that trust and relief in You is a sign of not working and caring. I will not live in a mindset of despair. No, I will trust in You. You whose ways are higher than my ways. You who turns the tides, raises the sun, sets the moon, hung the stars, parted the seas, raised the dead, and saved this utterly wicked person from the penalty of sin. You are King of kings and Lord of lords, great is Your faithfulness. And I will trust in You. Halleluiah to the One who set me free, Halleluiah death has lost its grip on me. You have broken every chain, there's salvation in YOUR name, Jesus Christ, my living hope. In all things.  

Psalm 40

God Sustains His Servant. For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

40 I waited [a]patiently for the Lord;

And He inclined to me and heard my cry.

2 He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the [b]miry clay,

And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.

3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;

Many will see and fear

And will trust in the Lord.

4 How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust,

And has not [c]turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.

5 Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which You have done,

And Your thoughts toward us;

There is none to compare with You.

If I would declare and speak of them,

They would be too numerous to count.

6 [d]Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired;

My ears You have [e]opened;

Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required.

7 Then I said, “Behold, I come;

In the scroll of the book it is [f]written of me.

8 I delight to do Your will, O my God;

Your Law is within my heart.”

9 I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation;

Behold, I will not restrain my lips,

O Lord, You know.

10 I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;

I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation;

I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation.

11 You, O Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me;

[g]Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me.

12 For evils beyond number have surrounded me;

My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see;

They are more numerous than the hairs of my head,

And my heart has [h]failed me.

13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;

Make haste, O Lord, to help me.

14 Let those be ashamed and humiliated together

Who seek my [i]life to destroy it;

Let those be turned back and dishonored

Who delight [j]in my hurt.

15 Let those be [k]appalled because of their shame

Who say to me, “Aha, aha!”

16 Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;

Let those who love Your salvation say continually,

“The Lord be magnified!”

17 Since I am afflicted and needy,

[l]Let the Lord be mindful of me.

You are my help and my deliverer;

Do not delay, O my God.

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The Lord, the Keeper of Israel. A Song of Ascents. Psalm 121

I will raise my eyes to the mountains;

From where will my help come?

2 My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not allow your foot to slip;

He who watches over you will not slumber.

4 Behold, He who watches over Israel

Will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is your [a]protector;

The Lord is your shade on your right hand.

6 The sun will not [b]beat down on you by day,

Nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will [c]protect you from all evil;

He will keep your soul.

8 The Lord will [d]guard your going out and your coming in

From this time and forever.

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Psalm 28

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12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. 1 Cor 10:12-13

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2 Sam 22, ........here is just a portion of this passage, which is worth reading in its entirety.... The violence is not necessarily outward war. There is a spiritual violence assaulted against God's children. It bruises and bashes us against the rocks leaving us so weary if we fail to go to the One who refreshes and restores our soul. 

Now David spoke the words of this song to the Lord on the day that the Lord had saved him from the [a]hand of all his enemies and from the [b]hand of Saul. 2 He said,

“The Lord is my [c]rock and my fortress and my deliverer;3 [d]My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge;
My savior, You save me from violence.4 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
And I am saved from my enemies.5 For the waves of death encompassed me;
The floods of [e]destruction terrified me;6 The ropes of [f]Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.7 In my distress I called upon the Lord,
Yes, I called out to my God;
And from His temple He heard my voice,
And my cry for help came into His ears.8 Then the earth shook and quaked,
The foundations of heaven were trembling
And were shaken, because He was angry.

Protestation of Integrity and Prayer for Protection.

A Psalm of David.

26 [a]Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity,

And I have trusted in the Lord [b]without wavering.

2 Examine me, O Lord, and try me;

Test my [c]mind and my heart.

3 For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes,

And I have walked in Your [d]truth.

Pain

The people who feel your pain at least as much as you, and possibly more, are your parents. 

Silence

Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom. -Francis Bacon

Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence. -Leonardo da Vinci

We are so rarely in the presence of silence, by choice and by the reality of our world. We rob ourselves of the great depths of learning with music in our ears non-stop. Even at the check-out, the workers have an earbud in, hindering their interest in interacting with customers I think... keeping their mind entertained. We share something that isn't self absorbed when we share the same sounds.

Children and adults listen to all manner of things on their phone or tablet. TVs are on for "white noise" in many homes. The most dangerous I think though, is the earbud. It shuts us off from the world, and we struggle so much with self absorption. I'm not saying to never use them, but when alone in a room or outdoors, that's not necessarily the time. 

How is this changing us as a race, all this noise? 

I feel that children need quiet and time to get bored. Creativity blossoms in that environment. Our bodies and minds settle when we aren't being stimulated externally. It's not just diet that matters, but also personal lifestyle choices. 

Adults need to model how to be still and thoughtful, but we also need to be still and thoughtful. 

I find myself returning to not listening to music as much as I started to recently. Talk radio ceased when Rush died. There's something I feel is very important in quiet.

A Forever Partner

I was thinking about how when looking for a spouse, so many things are thought and discussed. It's almost like the miracle of birth that two people find each other! The reality is, we're all looking for someone to deeply trust with who we are. That that person will not harm us, but will help and love us. Aren't we all closest to those we do not have to fear will break our hearts or bring us pain? People aren't perfect, but we certainly gravitate to those who we believe have the best judgment. Wise counselors. And don't we all pull back and seek to protect ourselves from those we deem otherwise?

Those things can't be posted on a dating app, and yet, it's the core of what everyone is seeking I'd say. It's such a gift that God uses what we can say, and do say, to connect us to the one He has for us.