evil Archives – Sonshine's Journal

December 27, 2024December 27, 2024

12.27.24. Peace? Peace

Revelation 20 Peace?

If you knew that tomorrow all the evil of this world would be trounced, would it make a difference in your day today? What if it continued for a thousand years? When there is peace, what is life like? Would there still be murders, looting, and other bad events? John tell us: “Then I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge.” Judgment is needed where there is crime, those who perpetuate it must be judged. What happens to these who are found guilty? Will they have time to repent? Lots of questions left unanswered except for this: the author of evil is alive and well but bound and in prison.

The compassion the Lord has for any who are perpetrators is this: a thousand years He will provided the perfect peace with no satanic influence and yet this truth from Jeremiah is as true today as it will be then: “the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, who can know it?” Whether Satan is here or not, men are still wicked because of their hearts. The heart must be changed and that only comes when Christ’s salvation is accepted.

How is your heart today? In a world dominated by evil, the question remains: Have you accepted the gift of salvation?

November 12, 2021November 12, 2021

One Man’s Gift

Mark 15, Matthew 27 As the holidays approach, we begin to think and consider a gift for those we love. What would our gift be?

Joseph of Arimathea needed Pilate’s permission to remove the crucified Jesus from the cross. Then he and Nicodemus prepared his body for burial and transported it to Joseph’s tomb, which was new and had never been used, thus fulfilling the prophecy: “His grave was assigned with wicked men; Yet He was with a rich man in His death.” [Is 53:9]

Joseph was a secret believer, as was Nicodemus. Yet, they took courage and sought to bury Jesus properly. What a precious gift for our Savior. He was disparaged by those he came to serve, but he was honored by a wealthy man and his tomb in death. Those who wore the robes of religious piety were not willing to be defiled; they would not stoop to enter the governor’s residence so they would not be ceremonially defiled, yet were ready to break the sixth commandment: “you shall not murder.” [Ex 20:13; John 18:28]

One man’s gift and his name will live on in eternity as one of the righteous, but one man’s evil words will live on as testimony as a dishonor until he sees Jesus in the clouds. [John 11:50; Matt 26:64]

Which man and which gift do you think gave God pleasure? What will my gift be?

December 6, 2013

My Prayer Walk Just Got a New Lease on Life….

As I closed the book of John I was an eyewitness to Jesus as he prayed in the Garden for God to remove the cup before him and yet “not thy will but thine be done” was the answer. Today in Psalm 141 I can visualize the Psalmist is in the mode of prayer and seeking God’s deliverance not only from the enemies around him but also from himself. What do I mean? Observe where he is in his mindset and what has beleaguered him.

First as he prays he notices his weakness with the ever defiant tongue just as James noted as well. “Jam 1:26 If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.” And that is why the Psalmist prayed: Vs 3: O Lord, place a guard on my mouth! Protect the opening of my lips! The psalmist asks God to protect him from speaking inappropriately or sinfully, to protect him from untruths, and from the enemy of our souls who seeks to deceive our hearts. Put a guard, a fence around our mouth so that what is offered is sweet and pleasing as the aroma of the sacrifices offered each day at the temple offerings. May that be my prayer as well.

Secondly, he notices that he can easily become wayward in his feelings that are not in compliance with God’s will and so he prays: “Do not let me have evil desires.” Reminds me of this verse: Col 1:10 so that you may live worthily of the Lord and please him in all respects – bearing fruit in every good deed, growing in the knowledge of God, As we saw in Revelation 3, Jesus stands at the door of our heart and as we saw in John he is the Door. It is he alone who can protect us from the wolves, thieves and robbers who seek entrance into our hearts and our minds. The psalmist desires that God bar the entrance and protect him as the Good Shepherd lay in the gate of the sheepfold. He alone is our protector for we are weak and vulnerable. O Lord, protect me from those thoughts that enter my mind seeking to distract me from the purpose of prayer.

Thirdly, he seeks God’s acceptance of his prayers like the incense that is offered by the priests at the temple sacrifices. It is his prayer that these are like that sweet incense that rises with perfume aromas and bring pleasure to the nostrils of God. May my words be sweet to the Father.

Today may I employ these same three strategies in my prayer walk, day by day; hour by hour; moment by moment.