The Corruption Is Breathtaking - But We Must Take Hope

[Eph611]

I live in a historically mostly conservative state where the political and societal corruption has, over the past year or so, become outrageous beyond all logical thought. If I weren't a believer, I'd be outraged and losing sleep. The evil, deceptive, and outright frightfully obnoxious and morally repugnant people who have somehow placed themselves in positions of power in our state make me want to go throw up, and then move somewhere else. All that drama aside, I think it's important for all of us in these situations to calm down and remember who is really in charge -- Jesus. Although there are short-term ramifications, what these people think and do is irrelevant compared to what eternity holds - for them, as well as us. For the people involved in invoking chaos, corruption, immorality, and wickedness -- what awaits them is unfathomable, eternal punishment. They will get what they deserve, and God is the perfect judge. For those of us in these situations, we mustn't allow Satan to cause us so much anguish that we lose sight of our savior and our salvation. Is it easy? No, of course not. We yearn for heaven, but have to live here in the meantime. Isn't it true, however, that with every passing day we feel a little bit less connected with this world and more connected with Christ? God can and does use bad things for good, and I'm convinced that we're being allowed to experience a full frontal assault on our ethics, morals, and senses so that we have an opportunity to draw even closer to our savior. My point is this: as awful as things are, as much as we want to be outraged and see the criminals and corrupt individuals brought to justice, we have to stay focused. We have to pray for Jesus to come quickly and pull us out of what isn't, and never has been, our home.

 

[RedRx]

Everything is falling into place. No amount of virtue signaling, identifying, or fake outrage will change the outcome. God’s plan is unstoppable. There will be many surprised and scared people when they finally face the truth. The only real question is when.

 

[Baby Yoda]

I live in a historically mostly conservative state where the political and societal corruption has, over the past year or so, become outrageous beyond all logical thought. If I weren't a believer, I'd be outraged and losing sleep.

Same. I don't know how folks who aren't paying attention to "end times" are dealing with all this.

 

[pixelpusher]

Neither can we forget that the ones causing our vexation are not the enemy but the mission field. They are essentially "POWs", prisoners of the world. I'd rather them get grace than the justice we also deserved.

Going Home today would be nice, and I think we should never lose our eagerness to meet Jesus in the air any moment. But our departure here is going to bring unprecedented deception on the earth, and the seals are going to be opened with all that entails.

If minds and hearts don't change, most of us have members of our own families, friends who are going to be left here. I hope He waits as long as possible, and this is a somewhat newish attitude for me, or at least it has been building up.

I get upset when I see bearded men with lipstick, political corruption, yadda yadda etc too, but those people are deceived. Satan once had me as blind as they are, and if it were not for the long series of talks, events, conviction and revelation that finally led me to Christ, I would probably be right there with them today, waving a LGBTQ sign and looking forward to upgrading myself with AI or something, if I hadn't destroyed myself with substances yet.

The DARKER it gets, the better the Church's light can shine.


Even so...

Maranatha!



(I actually should probably make me an "XL BLT" sign. Colors: Gold, White, Green, Red, and Browns, with black speckles, cause that's what my extra-large BLT sandwiches would look like. That's a flag I could get behind, just saying.)

 

[Everlasting Life]

Summation of a great thread:


Stay calm, God's sovereignly on His throne and people are still responding to the Gospel.

 

[Baby Yoda]

f minds and hearts don't change, most of us have members of our own families, friends who are going to be left here. I hope He waits as long as possible

That is true

 

[penbrat]

I pray everyday for the rapture to happen. It cannot happen soon enough for me (and I do not feel selfish for feeling this way). That being said, I get that people have family members/friends who they are praying for to be saved and hope that He tarries. Bottom line, it will happen at just the right time, a time that He has ordained since the beginning and every day we are still here, there are seeds to be watered and planted.

 

[heisable2]

I live in a historically mostly conservative state where the political and societal corruption has, over the past year or so, become outrageous beyond all logical thought. If I weren't a believer, I'd be outraged and losing sleep. The evil, deceptive, and outright frightfully obnoxious and morally repugnant people who have somehow placed themselves in positions of power in our state make me want to go throw up, and then move somewhere else. All that drama aside, I think it's important for all of us in these situations to calm down and remember who is really in charge -- Jesus. Although there are short-term ramifications, what these people think and do is irrelevant compared to what eternity holds - for them, as well as us. For the people involved in invoking chaos, corruption, immorality, and wickedness -- what awaits them is unfathomable, eternal punishment. They will get what they deserve, and God is the perfect judge. For those of us in these situations, we mustn't allow Satan to cause us so much anguish that we lose sight of our savior and our salvation. Is it easy? No, of course not. We yearn for heaven, but have to live here in the meantime. Isn't it true, however, that with every passing day we feel a little bit less connected with this world and more connected with Christ? God can and does use bad things for good, and I'm convinced that we're being allowed to experience a full frontal assault on our ethics, morals, and senses so that we have an opportunity to draw even closer to our savior. My point is this: as awful as things are, as much as we want to be outraged and see the criminals and corrupt individuals brought to justice, we have to stay focused. We have to pray for Jesus to come quickly and pull us out of what isn't, and never has been, our home.

 

[heisable2]

Oops I pressed post reply before I had a chance to say something.

No matter where we are we must believe that this is where God wants us. Unless we hear His distinct voice telling us to move somewhere then we stay put. I was blessed 5 years ago to hear his voice and I moved out of California to Florida.

Just as God is in control of our politicians and places people in the positions He wants them, we have a role where we live right now.

The question is what is our role? What is God having you to do while you are still here waiting for his return to take us home?

All the more reason for each of us to prayerfully seek his voice and direction every day. So many times when we pray we begin our prayers with things that we want rather than putting God first and praising his name and thanking Him for just breathing. I'm guilty of that and I've tried very hard to turn my prayers around where God is praised first, thanked first.

So much to do and so little time.

 

[Nemophilist]

I live in a historically mostly conservative state where the political and societal corruption has, over the past year or so, become outrageous beyond all logical thought. If I weren't a believer, I'd be outraged and losing sleep. The evil, deceptive, and outright frightfully obnoxious and morally repugnant people who have somehow placed themselves in positions of power in our state make me want to go throw up, and then move somewhere else. All that drama aside, I think it's important for all of us in these situations to calm down and remember who is really in charge -- Jesus. Although there are short-term ramifications, what these people think and do is irrelevant compared to what eternity holds - for them, as well as us. For the people involved in invoking chaos, corruption, immorality, and wickedness -- what awaits them is unfathomable, eternal punishment. They will get what they deserve, and God is the perfect judge. For those of us in these situations, we mustn't allow Satan to cause us so much anguish that we lose sight of our savior and our salvation. Is it easy? No, of course not. We yearn for heaven, but have to live here in the meantime. Isn't it true, however, that with every passing day we feel a little bit less connected with this world and more connected with Christ? God can and does use bad things for good, and I'm convinced that we're being allowed to experience a full frontal assault on our ethics, morals, and senses so that we have an opportunity to draw even closer to our savior. My point is this: as awful as things are, as much as we want to be outraged and see the criminals and corrupt individuals brought to justice, we have to stay focused. We have to pray for Jesus to come quickly and pull us out of what isn't, and never has been, our home.

I totally agree! You have a great way of summing it up!

 

[Reason & Hope]

I live in a historically mostly conservative state where the political and societal corruption has, over the past year or so, become outrageous beyond all logical thought. If I weren't a believer, I'd be outraged and losing sleep. The evil, deceptive, and outright frightfully obnoxious and morally repugnant people who have somehow placed themselves in positions of power in our state make me want to go throw up, and then move somewhere else. All that drama aside, I think it's important for all of us in these situations to calm down and remember who is really in charge -- Jesus. Although there are short-term ramifications, what these people think and do is irrelevant compared to what eternity holds - for them, as well as us. For the people involved in invoking chaos, corruption, immorality, and wickedness -- what awaits them is unfathomable, eternal punishment. They will get what they deserve, and God is the perfect judge. For those of us in these situations, we mustn't allow Satan to cause us so much anguish that we lose sight of our savior and our salvation. Is it easy? No, of course not. We yearn for heaven, but have to live here in the meantime. Isn't it true, however, that with every passing day we feel a little bit less connected with this world and more connected with Christ? God can and does use bad things for good, and I'm convinced that we're being allowed to experience a full frontal assault on our ethics, morals, and senses so that we have an opportunity to draw even closer to our savior. My point is this: as awful as things are, as much as we want to be outraged and see the criminals and corrupt individuals brought to justice, we have to stay focused. We have to pray for Jesus to come quickly and pull us out of what isn't, and never has been, our home.

I've been following election issues for quite a while, and corruption as well. I used to pray for God to help us clean these things up. Now I simply pray for the corruption to be made known. People need to stop trusting in princes (aka, politicians and government institutions) and trust only in God. Perhaps when more people see the corruption we are swimming in, they will see their need for God.

 

[Jaybird]

I used to get uptight about all of this political mess but then I finally realized that I shouldn't put any hope in a person or political party who will lead us back to what we once had in this country. Humans are fallible and corruptible. As many of the previous posts have said our focus should be on Jesus because God never changes.

Hebrew 13:8

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

 

[mack_]

We yearn for heaven, but have to live here in the meantime. Isn't it true, however, that with every passing day we feel a little bit less connected with this world and more connected with Christ?

Hebrews 11:13-16
13 These all died by way of faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. And they were persuaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14 For they who say such things declare plainly that they seek a fatherland.
15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from which they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
16 But now they stretch forth to a better fatherland, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

 

[mack_]

the mission field.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Acts 2:47
And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

 

[penbrat]

I used to get uptight about all of this political mess but then I finally realized that I shouldn't put any hope in a person or political party who will lead us back to what we once had in this country. Humans are fallible and corruptible. As many of the previous posts have said our focus should be on Jesus because God never changes.

Hebrew 13:8

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

Absolutely true. With every day that passes, I become less interested in politics and politicians. I know we have to occupy while we are here, and I try to keep the current leaders of both parties in my prayers, but other than that I'm just looking for my coming king. The things of this world interest me less with each passing day. ( Other than family, friends, and church family ).

 

[Eph611]

I used to get uptight about all of this political mess but then I finally realized that I shouldn't put any hope in a person or political party who will lead us back to what we once had in this country. Humans are fallible and corruptible. As many of the previous posts have said our focus should be on Jesus because God never changes.

Hebrew 13:8

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

I agree, but my struggle is that I have a hard time dealing with unrestrained evil, and it's just getting worse. Evil people that seem to reap no consequences whatsoever for their behavior -- and actually progress in their undertakings -- make me furious. This originally came about because of several instances in my life where extraordinarily evil people -- including some people I know personally -- got away with horrific acts of unscrupulous, destructive behavior. This attitude of "I'll do what I want and you'll like it regardless" has now exploded to consist of not just a few kooky family members, but people who somehow ascend to positions of power in our country. In sum, we're surrounded by crazy people. Come quickly, Lord Jesus -- I will be happy to be an associate janitor in eternity, and I'll mop the golden floors without a single complaint!

 

[athenasius]

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Acts 2:47
And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

I just quoted that over on the OWG forming now thread, because like @pixelpusher said, these ones ARE the mission field, waving at us for attention so to speak.

 

[mack_]

I just quoted that over on the OWG forming now thread, because like @pixelpusher said, these ones ARE the mission field, waving at us for attention so to speak.

I guess we think alike. 2 Peter 3:9 is great verse to quote.

 

[mack_]

I guess we think alike. 2 Peter 3:9 is great verse to quote.

Romans 10:13-17
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 

[Jaybird]

I agree, but my struggle is that I have a hard time dealing with unrestrained evil, and it's just getting worse. Evil people that seem to reap no consequences whatsoever for their behavior -- and actually progress in their undertakings -- make me furious. This originally came about because of several instances in my life where extraordinarily evil people -- including some people I know personally -- got away with horrific acts of unscrupulous, destructive behavior. This attitude of "I'll do what I want and you'll like it regardless" has now exploded to consist of not just a few kooky family members, but people who somehow ascend to positions of power in our country. In sum, we're surrounded by crazy people. Come quickly, Lord Jesus -- I will be happy to be an associate janitor in eternity, and I'll mop the golden floors without a single complaint!

I struggle with it too sometimes. It's hard to see all this evil just overflowing, but this surely a sign of the end times. Just imagine how things will be when the Restrainer is removed! It seems like there are no consequences for the wicked acts we see on this earth, but there are eternal consequences. Revelation 3:8 comes to mind: "I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name." Lot was also vexed by all the evil he saw and he was rescued from it.