I don’t know about you, but lately, my jaw drops from reading headlines… before I even read the sordid details underneath them.
The world’s circumstances are epic in scope. See if you feel it here, and I’m just taking a few headlines from the last 2 days (Feb. 23-24, 2023) from the website Rapture Ready:
- Two powerful winter storms hit U.S., leaving more than 2 million people without power
- Very strong and shallow M6.8 earthquake hits Tajikistan
- US can’t keep pace with China’s warship buildup, warns Navy Secretary
- Percentages of Americans identifying as LGBT doubles over past decade: Gallup
- Loud booms heard in Texas were due to 1,000-lb meteoroid exploding, Nasa says
- Pope Francis calls on humanity to unite around one world religion
- Cyber attack on produce giant Dole shuts down production plants in North America
All these headlines combined with what we experience in the world around us every day simply underscores that we are in a heightened spiritual wrestling match. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12)
Here’s a needed spiritual sanity check. Ever how wacko it gets out there, remember that God “keeps” you. I looked up what it means to be “kept” online—as in a “kept woman.” The term is often used to imply that the woman is dependent on the man for her livelihood and does not have a significant source of income or independence. It is important to note that the concept of a “kept woman” can be viewed as problematic... (source: ChatGPT)
That is proof that the world (including artificial intelligence) does not think like God thinks. God delights in “keeping” those who trust in Him. Tortured souls find rest in allowing God to be strong while we admit we are weak.
Let’s let the water of the Word cleanse our minds and spirits as we bathe in these “kept” and “preserved” verses. These are humdingers for the soul:
- Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. (Psalm 16:1)
- Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, (Psalm 17:8)
- For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. (Psalms 37:28)
- For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. (Psalm 91:11)
- Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings. The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah. I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD. O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle. Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah. (Psalm 140:4-8)
- My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. (John 10:29)
Worldlings, who don’t think like us, say, “Ah, Jesus is just a crutch.” But they don’t understand. He’s not just a crutch. He’s the whole hospital! We need to take our body, mind, soul and spirit to Him every day and collapse before Him in utter dependence. Only then can we go out and face the day!
Jody
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