With all the gloom and doom talk going around these days, it’s no wonder that people don’t smile much anymore.  It’s “Have you heard what the President just did, or what Congress is doing (or isn’t doing)?” Debt is up, wages are down, prices are up, hopes are down, will it ever get any better?  Then someone else says, “Did you hear what so-and-so said today on the radio?  It’s going to get real bad, you know.” Kinda makes you want to stay in bed and pull the covers up over your head, doesn’t it?  I’m glad I’m not overly concerned about what’s going on in the world.

No, I don’t have a flippant, who cares attitude.  It’s just that I’ve read God’s Word and got it down inside of me.  I know things are getting worse in the world because the Bible says so, and it also says God will take care of His own.  So….all I have to concern myself with is the question, AM I GOD’S OWN?  If so, my troubles are over forever.  And if I’m not, I have the power to change that, and there is no force in the universe that can prevent me from doing so, except……yeah, that’s right…..my own free will.

Let’s read some verses from Psalm 34, and you will understand where I’m coming from:
Psa 34:7  The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
Psa 34:8  O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
Psa 34:9  O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
Psa 34:10  The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.
Psa 34:11  Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
Psa 34:12  What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?
Psa 34:13  Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
Psa 34:14  Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
Psa 34:15  The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
Psa 34:16  The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
Psa 34:17  The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

These verses assure me that my biggest concern and priority in life is whether I belong to the LORD, or not.  Go back and read them again, do you see anything there that would give you reason to worry about what is going on in the world if you belong to the LORD?  I don’t.  He takes away all of my fear of what’s going on anywhere in the world.  Think of it, if you belong to the LORD, the worst thing that can happen to you is that your body is killed or you die.  But YOU, the real you, your spirit,  will go be with the LORD forevermore.  That means, if you live out your life, you win.  If you die, you win anyway.  The citizenship of the one who belongs to the LORD is the Kingdom of God, and we are just “passing through” here in this life.  Yet so many put all their eggs in one basket, so to speak, and make THIS life their treasure and goal.  The Bible tells us ALL this stuff on the earth will be burned up by fire.  Then what?  God is going to make a new heaven and a new earth, and if you belong to Him, you will inhabit it.  And if you’re NOT His, well then, too bad…..so sad.

Like anyone else, I’m concerned about my family, so naturally I want them to know the LORD.  And not just my family, but everyone else as well, but remember, God gave us free will, and He will not interfere with it, even if it means we are lost and miss out on everlasting life.  I wrote recently about “free will”, and our choices determine whether we live in peace or not. It is written in 2 Peter 3:9-14:

2Pe 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.
2Pe 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
2Pe 3:11  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
2Pe 3:13  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
2Pe 3:14  Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

Bottom line seems to be that according to verse 14 our greatest goal in life is to be found in Christ Jesus when it’s all said and done.  Everything else revolves around that.  If you belong to the LORD, you’re not going to be overly concerned about world issues, because you already know God is going to do what’s best for your eternal welfare.  When they talk about the stock market crashing or the economy going bad, your confidence is not in the world anyway, but the LORD, and you know He will keep you.  If the grocery stores are empty, God will figure a way to feed you, that’s HIS concern, not YOURS. God isn’t going to leave or forsake you, so why worry?  Instead, seek peace and pursue it.  Then, no matter what happens, YOU WIN!  And that peace is contagious.  When others see YOU at peace in every circumstance, they will want to know how that is.  That’s your opportunity to tell them about your relationship with the LORD and you can introduce them to Him.  You see, it isn’t just about “seeking” peace, you must also “pursue” it.  God said if you seek Him with your whole heart, you WILL find Him.  And when you’ve found Him, you’ve also found everything you will ever want or need, forever. Isn’t that something you’d like to share with others?  Yes, I thought so.