The world

[GodIsLove]

I?m still curious as to what everyone thinks about what is happening in the world today. I FEEL that things are not just business as usually anymore for the world. I understand the playing out of human imperfection and all that, but things are just weird theses days. I?m wondering what people think, based on messages they have received in prayer or scripture. Opinions are ok but I?m not as curious about opinions because right now the world is filled with them.

[darryl]

yes, strange times but always been weird stuff going on....look at the 1918 flu epidemic....WW1 and WW2....the Black Death....Viet Nam war.....social unrest during the late 60s because of civil rights and the Viet Nam war....nothing new bout strange times.....

[Ross]

I.M.O the part of the news where there are nations fighting within themselves seems to be on the global scale.
This seems to suggest the scale of things as has never been before.
The media and the internet have helped to raise the awareness of the people which is generating questions about why the governments are not solving things like they promise.
This seems to be establishing the need for some superior power to solve the problems for all.
We are told to watch what is happening around us.

[joeteekay]

I.M.O the part of the news where there are nations fighting within themselves seems to be on the global scale.
This seems to suggest the scale of things as has never been before.
The media and the internet have helped to raise the awareness of the people which is generating questions about why the governments are not solving things like they promise.
This seems to be establishing the need for some superior power to solve the problems for all.
We are told to watch what is happening around us.

I agree that these are unprecedented times. It is just a matter of time before a world leader (the beast?) emerges to "fix things".
The bulwark of stability, morality, rule of law which the USA stood for in the world is now eroding quickly. Although we may not be that close to the beginning of the opening of the seals and trumpets of the book of Revelation, the signs are unsettling, and frightening.

[Lazarus Short]

Keep your eyes on God, for politics, economics and culture are all a distraction.  :sigh:

[Ross]

These things happen for a reason.
God sees everything.
Romans 13:1 " Each person must be subject to the governing authorities because there is no authority except by God's appointment, and those that exist have been instituted by God. "

So these things will all happen to mankind for a reason.
I. M. O the things told in revelations are to reinforce that there is a superior being and a better way of life which is coming.
He disciplines whom He loves and no discipline is pleasant.  However the outcome awesome.
God will harden mankind's heart like He did to the Pharaoh of Egypt. 
Revelations are the poignant indication of that change that is coming as being severe. All necessary to bring the new world system to the next level of management by Christ not men.

[darryl]

I.M.O the part of the news where there are nations fighting within themselves seems to be on the global scale.
This seems to suggest the scale of things as has never been before.
The media and the internet have helped to raise the awareness of the people which is generating questions about why the governments are not solving things like they promise.
This seems to be establishing the need for some superior power to solve the problems for all.
We are told to watch what is happening around us.

Big Brother ?...yep

[Lazarus Short]

I.M.O the part of the news where there are nations fighting within themselves seems to be on the global scale.
This seems to suggest the scale of things as has never been before.
The media and the internet have helped to raise the awareness of the people which is generating questions about why the governments are not solving things like they promise.
This seems to be establishing the need for some superior power to solve the problems for all.
We are told to watch what is happening around us.

Big Brother ?...yep

God is ultimately in charge, not Big Brother.  God uses both good and evil as teaching tools.

[darryl]

I.M.O the part of the news where there are nations fighting within themselves seems to be on the global scale.
This seems to suggest the scale of things as has never been before.
The media and the internet have helped to raise the awareness of the people which is generating questions about why the governments are not solving things like they promise.
This seems to be establishing the need for some superior power to solve the problems for all.
We are told to watch what is happening around us.

Big Brother ?...yep

God is ultimately in charge, not Big Brother.  God uses both good and evil as teaching tools.

yes, of course God is ultimately in control though it may not always seem like it...but our lives ARE impacted by 'Nanny State' human governments hence 'Big Brother'...I was quoting  the George Orwell book....1984.....get a copy if u can its a gr8 read !

[GodIsLove]

Thanks for thoughts!
Joe and Darryl, also feel like they are setting the stage for someone or some office/group to come ?save us? from all of the problems and division they themselves are creating. One that will seem like a great uniter but we shouldn?t fall for it.

Darryl, I agree that life on earth has always been a strange and difficult experience but this feels to me to be unprecedented as far as the lies, the division among common people, yet the unity among world leaders/elites/media...very odd to me and there seems to be an unfolding and unveiling happening.

Laz you are right that it?s a distraction and God is in charge but also, I feel the need to be vigilant that I can?t shake. I think because I have kids. I do take weeks off from reading about the world because I need to focus on God, those around me and my responsibilities. God is in charge and yes good and evil is to learn, but I still have yet to be able to welcome suffering even if I know it?s a tool. It still feels awful in the moment!

[darryl]

Thanks for thoughts!
Joe and Darryl, also feel like they are setting the stage for someone or some office/group to come ?save us? from all of the problems and division they themselves are creating. One that will seem like a great uniter but we shouldn?t fall for it.

Darryl, I agree that life on earth has always been a strange and difficult experience but this feels to me to be unprecedented as far as the lies, the division among common people, yet the unity among world leaders/elites/media...very odd to me and there seems to be an unfolding and unveiling happening.

Laz you are right that it?s a distraction and God is in charge but also, I feel the need to be vigilant that I can?t shake. I think because I have kids. I do take weeks off from reading about the world because I need to focus on God, those around me and my responsibilities. God is in charge and yes good and evil is to learn, but I still have yet to be able to welcome suffering even if I know it?s a tool. It still feels awful in the moment!

interesting..cheers !

[Abigail]

Hi God is Love,

I definitely feel with you. Probably the way we christians see this has everything to do with our view on the book of Revelation/endtime, the role of free will/God's will/the devil's role... so this will determine our response. I am not sure about how to understand all those things yet so I just share a view impressions I had last year. When the covid thing just started my husband and I felt a kind of excitement. Of course not that we liked it! But we felt something was going to happen - more like you can get excited when your contractions start, because your baby is about to be born. To me this did not necessarily mean Jesus would be coming back soon (I know opinions are very different on this too), but that God is going to bring something good. If you ever gave birth naturally you probably will know that when the contractions are worst and you feel like you cannot bear them anymore, deliverance is near.
Reminds me also of when God's judgments are in the world, the people are learning righteousness (Isaiah 26). Not judgment as punitive, but more as making things right. I also don't mean God made covid or something like that - I actually think it is man made (whether it be intentionally or accidently by messing with nature), and the whole covid thing and man's devastating response to it is people actually bringing misery to themselves and others.

I have a strong tendency to fret, worry or get mad at the government and media, especially when there is so much lying and deception going on that makes me feel so indignant. This week I thought about the Flood and about Babel. What I saw in it and found comforting is that God sets boundaries. I believe God gave people free wills, but He has set boundaries when people just go too far.

We also cling to the saying of Jesus: In the world you will have tribulations, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world! (John 16)

I can relate to your concern about your children, I've got seven (newborn - 18yo). I wish I could spare them every sorrow. Yet I see something starting to happen in my teenagers when things get tough and threatening - they start seeking more (for answers, for God) than when everything is easy. I think that is the whole thing of us living on an earth with sin and death anyway. God doesn't spare us from that, but He is full of hope since He knows what the end will be. And I believe as parents we can learn from Him to have that same attitude towards our children in a way.

[GodIsLove]

Abigail,
Thank you! We must be on the same page with our views on current events. I agree with all of that. Honestly I don?t know my view of the book of Revelation so I don?t think it?s that I am seeing things through that lens, it feels more like the Holy Spirit whispering these things to me.  Yeah I also tend to get worried/mad at the govt/media and I am trying to find a way to reach peace by accepting things for what they are and finding ways to not participate and pull away. I do agree the virus was very likely man made and I agree most of the problems in the world are the result of God allowing humans to make errors and see/experience the consequences of those errors. I was feeling worried and frustrated and thought that I don?t need to experience the consequences of their bad choices because I already see the evil behind them, and I got an immediate ?then you won?t? ...that the lessons humanity is learning are for those who need to learn, but hopefully those who already have learned will be spared.

You are an inspiration to have 7 children! I have 3, ages 2, 5 and 8, and we made the final decision to permanently homeschool, God willing of course. I think you have said in the past that you homeschool as well.

Glad to hear from you! Thanks!