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#5 - The Wicked Will Not Endure
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I’m afraid that many of us who read this may be near to being discouraged because of the constant stream of fascist lies, hate, rage, and violence that seems to be rolling over us like a flood from the current administration of Donald J. Trump.
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I firmly believe that it’s not my place to argue, debate, or otherwise pressure anyone to believe the way that I do, but I do feel compelled to simply explain what I believe and why I refuse to give in to despair or lose hope.
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Having said that, I believe that our Lord encourages us to not allow ourselves to be overcome or discouraged by this flood of evil, but rather to overcome evil with good.
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The apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the church at Rome:
Rom 12:17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
Rom 12:18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
Rom 12:19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "vengeance is mine, I will repay," says the Lord.
Rom 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
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Even though it seems that this flood of evil is threatening to carry us away with it, we are admonished to “be not overcome by evil.”
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How do we overcome evil with good?
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I believe we’re seeing it every day.
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Groups like Indivisible, Common Cause, End Citizens United, and many others are working tirelessly with like-minded people across the political spectrum to expose the lies, hate, rage, bitterness, and violence of our current administration and to reveal the truth to the general population.
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Groups like World Central Kitchen are doing what they can to feed those who are suffering from all forms of disaster in the world.
​Feed the Children is doing tireless work to try to make sure that no child goes hungry.
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Other groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center have been working for decades to try to bring justice to minorities that have been marginalized for centuries.
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But, there is hope! There is always hope!
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There are times when it seems to be an insurmountable task, but I would like to inject a little optimism into this discussion.
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The author of Proverbs 10 (often thought to be King Solomon, of old) wrote:
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Pro 10:21 The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of wisdom.
Pro 10:23 To do evil is like sport to a fool, But a man of understanding has wisdom.
Pro 10:24 The fear of the wicked will come upon him, And the desire of the righteous will be granted.
Pro 10:25 When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more, But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.
Pro 10:27 The fear of the LORD prolongs days, But the years of the wicked will be shortened.
Pro 10:28 The hope of the righteous will be gladness, But the expectation of the wicked will perish.
Pro 10:29 The way of the LORD is strength for the upright, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.
Pro 10:30 The righteous will never be removed, But the wicked will not inhabit the earth.
Pro 10:31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, But the perverse tongue will be cut out.
I pray that this passage brings comfort and strength to all of us.
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Notice how many times in this passage that our Lord says that the wicked shall endure only a short time, but the righteous will “never be removed.”
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The King David writes in Psalms 30:
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Psa 30:5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.
Psa 30:6 Now in my prosperity I said, "I shall never be moved."
Psa 30:11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
Psa 30:12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
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In this passage, we have the promise that even though we may suffer long and deeply, our sorrow and struggles are temporary, and relief and joy await us when we come out on the other side of this ordeal.
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As this passage and many like it proclaim, “to the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.”
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In God’s economy, He always accomplishes many purposes within any set of circumstances, but one of God’s goals is to draw us to Himself.
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Also, the apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the church at Galatia:
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Gal 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
Gal 6:9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
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Also, the prophet Hosea wrote:
Hos 8:7 "They sow the wind, And reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no bud; It shall never produce meal. If it should produce, strangers would swallow it up.
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Notice that God gives us two promises here that should give us hope.
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1) Karma is real! “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”
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2) There is a light at the end of the tunnel! “let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”
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My dear friends, I know that it’s easy to become discouraged, but take heart, God is still on the throne, and nothing surprises Him or catches Him off guard.
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O Lord, guide us through this difficult time. Guide us to Yourself.
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Jesus, lover of my soul,
Let me to Thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is high:
Hide me, O my Savior, hide,
Till the storm of life is past;
Safe into thy haven guide;
O receive my soul at last.