WHY MUST WE GO THROUGH THIS?

Many may ask why Christians have to go through the difficult times we face as a nation. What have we done to deserve this? We have been faithful to God as best we know how? Why is He punishing us along with those who have sinned?





He is not punishing us; we are caught up in the judgment that is falling on a fallen society; a society that has sinned and rebelled against great light. No other nation on earth has received as the gospel message as has the United States of America.





In context with these feelings that are starting to bubble up to the surface among Believers, while reading this evening I came across some thoughts by Matthew Henry that were written in the early 1700's. Those days were also days of rebellion. The French Revolution was fomenting, the Church of England was persecuting dissenters among the faithful, trouble was starting to brew in the Colonies and so forth.





Matthew Henry's thoughts apply to what we are facing as Believers in America:

"The best men, and those that are dearest to God, often share, not only in common calamities of this life, but in the public and national judgments that are inflicted for sin; those feel the smart who contributed nothing to the guilt, by which it appears that the difference between good and bad arises not from the events that befall them, but from the temper and disposition of their spirits under them. "





(MY THOUGHT -our convictions that God will take care of us, our knowledge of the faithfulness of God changes our disposition, temper and spirit, apart from others who do not understand)





"Words of conviction, counsel, and comfort come best to those who are in affliction from their fellow sufferers. The captives will be best instructed by one who is a captive among them and experimentally knows their sorrow."





Some of the greatest Prophets in the Bible did not receive their revelations, visions or dreams until they went into captivity with their people. For example:


1. Ezekiel was captive with others in Babylon


2. John was in prisoned on the isle of Patmos


3. Jeremiah lived in Egypt for a season with captive fleeing


4. Daniel was a captive in Babylon


5. Jonah was captive in a whale and ministered in Nineveh


6. Haggai was a captive in Babylon


7. Zechariah was captive in Babylon





For those of us who have said that we want to hear clearer and more openly from God may be getting ready to do just that; but under different circumstances than we thought!!



There is hope, there are great promises to us, He is faithful and true.

Always remember~




He is the eternal LORD
who reigned before any being was created;
At the time when all was made by His will,
He was at once acknowledged as King.




And at the end when all shall cease to be,
the revered God alone shall still be king.


He was, He is, and He shall be in glorious eternity.
He is ONE and there is no other to compare to Him,
to place beside Him.




He is without beginning and without end.
Power and dominion belong to Him,
He is my God,
my living Redeemer.
My stronghold in times of distress.




He is my Guide and my Refuge,
my share of bliss the day I call.
To Him I entrust my spirit when I sleep and when I wake.


As long as my soul is within my body,
the LORD is with me,
I am not afraid.