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| Volume 17 Number 6 June 2015 | Page 8 |
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| Volume 17 Number 6 June 2015 | Page 8 |
Donald R. Fox
Every time an evil event takes place, such as mass killing with guns, we hear the same so-called solution. The cry is let’s do away with our Constitution’s Second Amendment. Nobody needs guns. What utter nonsense! People murder with knives and with an assortment of weaponry. The problem is we are dealing with evil people. We have allowed God to be removed from our society, and we reap the evil consequences. The dictionary is very clear concerning evil. It simply states it is, “The quality or state of being evil. Many people think that Adolf Hitler’s actions in World War II were of utmost evilness.”
Our nation was founded on Judeo-Christian principles. In my lifetime, I have observed a great change in our moral or ethical standards. They have decayed to sewer levels. This is a fact! Yes, of course, no society is perfect. All we have to do is turn to Genesis 13:13 and start reading about Sodom and Gomorrah. Evil has been with mankind from the beginning when Cain slew his brother Abel (Genesis 4:1-16).
There are ups and downs in societies. Within my lifetime, our nation’s population went from a keen understanding of “In God We Trust” to a rejection of our founder’s vision of “one nation under God.” Folks had the opportunity to view wholesome movies that had large measures of good ethics taught. Further, entertainers such as Red Skelton or Jack Benny never used vile language. Now, it is commonplace to have in your face vulgarness. Yes, times change, and we presently are in a low state of overall decency.
Here is my point. When God Almighty, God of the Bible, is removed from society, evil will move in. We are now reaping evilness, and we can expect deeper and the vilest of evilness. The solution is, as a nation, to turn back to God Almighty in repentance.
The Great Need Is to Return to God in Repentance
“Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee” (Psalm 116:7 KJV). “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls” (1 Peter 2:25). “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).
[Editor’s Note: Removing the key ingredient or ingredients from any recipe will result in failure. Likewise, as brother Fox astutely observed above, removal of God and His inspired Word from American public venues has resulted in an anything goes (except biblical conviction) nationwide posture of debauchery and general immorality. America, and any nation that does similarly, is well down the road of self-destruction. “The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God” (Psalms 9:17 NKJV). ~ Louis Rushmore, Editor]
Letting God Speak to
Me through His Word
Gary C. Hampton
Our loving God sent His Son to die for us. That explains why He has “given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). Our goal should be to increase in learning (Proverbs 1:5; 9:9).
The rich man learned the importance of knowing and obeying God’s will. He thought his brothers, who had ignored Moses and the prophets, would listen to one who returned from the dead. Abraham said, “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead” (Luke 16:19-31).
God’s Word teaches us to reverence Him (Deuteronomy 4:10; Psalm 34:11). Israel’s kings were to make a copy of the law, read it and learn to fear. The people participated in reading the law every seven years so they and their children could learn to fear the Lord and keep His commandments (Deuteronomy 14:22-23; 17:14-20; 31:9-13).
Learning the Lord’s will for our lives protects us from our enemies (Psalm 27:11). “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, And the people whom He has chosen as His own inheritance” (Psalm 33:11-12). The singer wanted the Lord to teach him his path (Psalm 25:3-4).
Psalm 119 praises the Word of God through the alphabet. The singer desired to learn God’s will (7, 12, 26, 33, 64, 71, 108). Moses was to teach Israel statutes and judgments (Deuteronomy 4:14). Ezra was a great leader of the returning captives because he “had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel” (Ezra 7:10).
God’s Word teaches us what pleases Him and produces joy (Colossians 1:9-11). Paul said we cannot please men and be servants of Christ (Galatians 1:10; Romans 8:8). Pleasing God requires faith, which only comes through hearing God’s Word (Hebrews 11:6; Romans 10:17)).
So, let us focus on God’s Word. It will free us for eternity.