"A Sound Mind Amidst All The Turmoil" - Inspirational Weekend

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"This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all; yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil,  and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead."  -  Ecclesiastes 9:3  (KJV)

That is not starting this weekend post on a very joyous note, but stay with me because I am leading up to something good!   The New American Standard Bible says of the same verse, "....full of evil and insanity in  their hearts..."    In other words, to think and do evil is insanity;  sin is insanity.  Yet the same stubborn, habitual, hardened sinners call Christians mad and crazy for their beliefs.   The insanity spoken of in Ecclesiastes  is moral, that of the heart.  By the heart here is meant the will -  a person's voluntary power.  "The conduct of impenitent men is the perfection of irrationality."

Because punishment for their sins seems to be delayed, it only encourages them to more wrongdoing, as stated in Ecclesiastes 8:11.   God is patient and at times delays punishing the sinner because He is long-suffering and does not wish any to perish  (2 Peter 3:9)

As for true believers, 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."  That is pretty positive !   A sound mind from God, a mind focused on Him and Jesus and good works and holy conduct.   Believers may not be perfect, as they still occasionally sin, but they repent and are "washed in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ."  

It has been said that if you can keep your wits about you when everyone else is losing theirs, then you do not have a complete understanding of the situation.   That should not be true of Christians and followers of Christ.   We know the world has gone crazy and is full of violence, wars, crime, crooked and evil governments, and the threat also of global economic collapse.   But we have a blessed hope, and know what the future holds for us later in eternity.   We can weather the storm now because of our faith and because of God's promises.   

"And there shall be signs in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring.  Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken................And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh."

Luke 21:25,26,28

A hymn that fits here and that encourages me follows:

Yes, the world situation is explosive right now; but things are not falling apart, they are falling into place.   Bible prophecy teaches you that.   Many Bible prophecies are being fulfilled all at once now in these last days; and at an accelerated pace, a convergence, if you will. as I have stated previously  here  and also at this post  

Read and study God's Word, pray without ceasing; it will build your faith and also enable you to have a close, personal, and intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ.   And filling your mind with good things and God's Word has the bonus of God giving you a sound mind.

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all things; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  -  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."  - Romans 12:2

"God Is Love, So Why The Wrath Of God?" - Inspirational Weekend

"He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love."  -  1 John 4:8

This Inspirational weekend post continues, in part, the discussion begun about the Tribulation Period

 from last weekend (scroll down one post).   World events are still happening as the Bible predicted -- and close to home here in the United States with attacks on innocent people in California, for one instance.  I highly recommend that you thoughtfully and prayerfully read  Matthew 24 about the signs of the end times.  

Let me also quote from  2 Timothy 3: 1-5  : "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:  from such turn away."

The good news is, we are so far into the last days that all such evil will not last much longer and true believers have a wonderful hope to look forward to with the Lord in heaven.  Take heart and wait patiently for the Lord.

As to why, since God is love, He will unleash His wrath relentlessly in the Tribulation period, the above Scriptures help answer that question;  we must remember that God is Holy, pure perfection.   He is also a God of justice and cannot leave sin unpunished.   God's vengeance is perfect and holy and His wrath is fearsome and something to be terrified of, unless you are saved by grace.  In which case the blood of Jesus shed at Calvary has made atonement for your sins and God's wrath will not come upon you then.   "Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him."  -  Romans 5:9

Another reason (besides justice and vengeance from God) for the Tribulation period is to bring people to salvation.   God's wrath can bring people to repent and to turn to Him.  "For when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness."  -  Isaiah 26:9

Just like now, when God will use trials and heartaches to get our attention for us to turn to Him in faith and repentance, so  during the Tribulation God's wrath will cause many to turn to Him.  

It reminds me of the verse at 2 Peter 3:9 ,  "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

One thing I did not make clear enough in last weekend's post is that the Mark of the Beast referred to in  Revelation 13:16-18 means the Mark of the antichrist; beast is another term for the antichrist in Revelation.    A rather fitting term for someone so evil.  

Like I have stressed before, believers have a hope and a future; they will not be around during the Tribulation but will be in heaven then with the Lord.  It is time to get right with the Lord if you have not done so before now.   "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that  whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  -  John 3:16