James 1:19, very good advice 543 - 2 - 5

James 1:19 “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear (G191) slow to speak (G2980), slow to wrath: (G3709)”

Hear, G191, to hear, give an audience, be reported, understand.

For several years, I sold mineral specimens as well as jewelry at markets. One of the things I really enjoyed was children who had an interest in stones. I would spend time going over the various stones with them and most were interested enough to listen. Then there were those children who would ask one question and while I was answering their question would ask another question.

A few years ago, I heard a talk by a former Mormon who has recorded DVDs on how best to witness to Mormons. He mentioned that in college he had a course on listening. To me, really listening and processing what is being said will likely result in critical analysis. Also, it shows respect for what someone else has to say.

Speak, G2980, to talk, to utter words, preach, say, tell, to “lay” forth, that is, relate (in words, usually of systematic or set discourse.

I just had a flashback of my maternal grandmother saying, “Children are to be seen not heard.” She often took care of us kids while my mother worked and could be strict. The older I get the more I appreciate the values this farm woman instilled in me.

 I have a good friend who rarely listens and whatever I might say she will somehow make it about herself. She is usually transmitting rather than receiving. 

I have another very good friend who teaches the two weekly Bible studies I attend. She is a great listener and has helped me work through difficult Bible verses. My goal, to be more like the second friend.

Wrath, G3709, violent passion, ire, or abhorrence, by implication punishment, anger, indignation, vengeance.

Merriam-Webster defines wrath as:

1: strong vengeful anger or indignation

2: retributory punishment for an offense or a crime: divine chastisement

Definitions 1 and 2 sounds like wrath in the flesh except for “divine chastisement”

Google further defines retributory, “of or relating to or having the nature of retribution; "retributive justice demands an eye for an eye" relatiative, retaliatory, retributive, vindicatory. punitive, punitory - inflicting punishment; punitive justice"; punitive damages".

In the next verse James states, “For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”

Although I have known what I would call righteous anger, I strive never to be wrathful. I leave the wrath to our righteous God.

 Isaiah 61:2, “To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;” 

Isaiah 63:4, “For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.”

Romans 12:19, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”

It is my sincere prayer to be out of here before God's day of wrath. Meanwhile, I'll do my best to conform to James 1:19.

Sodom and Gomorrah, Lessons Learned 544 - 7 - 4

Romans 1:26-27, “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.”

Billy Graham was quoted as saying, "Some years ago, my wife, Ruth, was reading the draft of a book I was writing. When she finished a section describing the terrible downward spiral of our nation’s moral standards and the idolatry of worshiping false gods such as technology and sex, she startled me by exclaiming, “If God doesn't punish America, He’ll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.”

Rev. Graham thought that his wife was possibly thinking of Ezekiel 16:49-50, “Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.”

Genesis 18:20-21, “And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.”

Whether Ezekiel 16:49-54 or Genesis 18:20, God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah due not just to the many homosexuals there but also because of the acceptance by the town’s people of this deviant behavior and for the reason enumerated by Ezekiel.

Scripture does hold out hope for believers. Abraham appealed to God not to destroy the innocent along with the sinners. Genesis 18:23, “And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?” Sadly not even ten righteous could be found. Interestingly enough, God would not ran down fire until Lot and his family fled to safety.

The implications of Sodom and Gomorrah are, IMO, rather frightening for America as our country is guilty of the same sins as Sodom and Gomorrah. Add to that the use of abortion for convenience and the fact that our administration is undermining Israel, we are as the expression goes in deep Doo Doo.

Thankfully there still are many righteous people in America who will likely be evacuated before America experiences the full wrath of God. It seems that God with-holds final judgment until the righteous are removed. The removal of Lot and his family from Sodom and Gomorrah gives me the assurance that even a far from perfect person such as myself will be spared God’s Wrath. Lot is prophetic of the Church being rescued before the time of God’s Wrath on the Earth as well. God’s promise of the Blessed Hope, the Rapture of the Church.

How can “toleration” lead to a nation’s downfall? 512 - 8 - 3

The 1950s in America was a time of recovery from World War II and involvement in the war with North Korea. There was a rush to suburbia by the more affluent city dwellers and perhaps the start/ acceleration of the deterioration of the inner-city. This was a time in which we started to address the problems of racial inequality. I can remember the heady days of the civil rights movement and the goose bumps I would get when hearing Martin Luther King’s speech ”I have a dream.”

It often seems in this country that we can’t find a happy medium, rather the pendulum swings violently the other way. The current president of the United States (POTUS) has a black father and a white mother. To criticize the POTUS as being incompetent or deliberately undermining the United States is to be a racist. It seems that most in the media avoid any real balanced reporting of the news. Black on black crime is a tremendous problem in this country and is mostly ignored by the media; ignored but with explosive potential. Also ignored is a discussion of taking personal responsibility rather than blaming others; those in Washington DC being a prime example.

It seems that today nearly everything is tolerated with the exception of Christianity and common decency. The destruction of 50 million or more unborn babies was done in the name of a woman’s right to choose. Those unborn babies were never offered a choice and were sacrificed on the altar of tolerance.

Homosexuality is being promoted as a natural lifestyle. Children are being indoctrinated at an early age and Christian business owners are told they have to provide services to the homosexual community. A reading of Romans Chapter 1 provides insight into why homosexuality is so prevalent throughout the planet.

Even some evangelical groups are promoting a two state solution and suggesting a division of Jerusalem. Recently our administration has been courting Iran and promoting a reduction in the sanctions against that country. We are leaving Israel out to dry. This is being supposedly being done in the name of tolerance and diversity. However, in my opinion it is the work of the devil and his minions.

IMO, tolerance today goes hand-in-hand with anything goes except:

• Children playing cowboys and Indians
• Prayer in school
• Having a Bible and sharing the Word in some locations such as a public school
• Marriage being between one man and one woman

In the name of tolerance we have lost our moral compass and are inviting the wrath of God.

How is the wrath of God being revealed today? 534-1 - 2-4

A few generations ago the sitcom was “Father Knows Best.” Today it’s more apt to be “My Two Fathers.”

We in America excel at promoting the trifecta of things that God hates:

• Abortion (murder) of the unborn
• The growing acceptance of homosexuality
• Throwing Israel under the bus.

Perhaps rather than then the full wrath of God, I would suggest that we are under God’s judgment and that He is removing/ has removed His hedge of protection from us. Nevertheless, as we on planet earth sink further into “anything goes” can the wrath of God be far away. One can almost hear the hoof-beats of the Four Horsemen. Given the extremes of weather, natural disasters, wars and more; judgment indeed.

Romans 1:18, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;” We are without excuse!

Romans 1:21-23, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves.”

In my opinion this deals mostly with an individual’s sin, homosexuality. However, when we as a society approve of homosexuality this becomes a sin of society. The acceptance of homosexuality didn’t work out well for Sodom and Gomorrah.

John P. McTernan has written a very interesting book; “As America Has Done to Israel.” Time and again we have pressured Israel to give up the land given to them by God.

"The Perfect Storm" in 1991 pretty much coincided with the Madrid Peace Process in which the elder President Bush was very clear that Israel was required to surrender parts of her covenant land for peace. His own home was affected by the storm.

The Israel withdrawal from Gaza in 2005 was done in the hope that this would lead to peace. Rather than peace the withdrawal provided a nearby missal launching pad. Land for peace has never resulted in any lasting peace as the hated towards Israel is embedded in the Islamic psyche. The United States pressured Israel to withdraw from Gaza and that withdrawal seems to have coincided with Hurricane Katrina. Many times the United States seemed to come under God’s judgment when we bully Israel.

Tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, famine, wildfires, drought, horrific diseases such as Ebola, Aids, constant warfare throughout much of the planet, etc. are, in my opinion, a harbinger of worse to come. We need a planet wide revival. Hopefully we have not passed the point of no return.

Added Later:

40 years and millions of babies aborted since "Roe v. Wade."
This is from an email I received today:
At the National Prayer Breakfast, February 3, 1994 Mother Teresa said:
"The greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion...
It is a war against the child, a direct killing of the innocent...murder by the mother herself.
If we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill?...
Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use violence."
Very wise words indeed.