Wishful Thinking

Following up from my post last week, I wanted to share a new map. 

After having studied what happened behind the scenes in 2020, I believe this is much closer to what the true map actually would have been. I have heard it said that even more states should have gone red but for some reason didn't. I decided to be a little more realistic compared with some of the things I've heard said. So - as the reader, you might be asking: Why? Why are you sharing this? The past is the past, so why are you dwelling on this?

The last 2 1/2 years is why. Since January 20, 2021, this country has seen a sweeping move of demonic movement in the form of governmental regulations, business decisions, social media influencers, etc. The economy has gone in the tank, with inflation surges not seen in decades. Money has been thrown at initiatives that are at best unintelligent and at worst not just degrading to our society but even potentially fatal to our country's ability to recover on its own. Worse, young minds have been warped to incredible degrees that even just ten years ago would have been unimaginable. And blood has been shed. Countless numbers of people were forced to take an experimental biological agent in the name of preventing the spread of an airborne malady that was man-made, with the express design of killing masses of people (only both failed in that they "didn't kill enough people"). As our current "leader" of the free world himself has stated: "the soul of this nation is at stake."

All of this happened in only the last 2 1/2 years, and it could have been prevented by having a fair election. Not only so, but there are winds of what happened in 2020 and 2021 repeating itself. But I'm not going to get into that now. I'm not going to speak this into being, but rather I will come against it because the name of Jesus is above every name, including my own, and including that of each and every evil that threatens to take down this entire world.

What caused me to voluntarily leave Facebook in late-spring 2021 was the result of the amount of unbridled anger I unleashed. Some of it was my own retaliation to the sheer amounts of unbridled anger I experienced on Facebook in the summer of 2020 that was the final straw in my leaving my former church, on a topic that was less so about justice for an unjust murder, and more about attacking me and others like me for the color of my skin. But most of it was what I believed to be righteous anger. It may have started out that way, but then I posted a few items that ended up turning into anger for its own satisfaction. A few contacts reached out to me, some genuinely concerned for me, and others who feigned concern but had judgments and agendas of their own. Nonetheless, I apologized (on Facebook), not necessarily for them, but rather out of my love and care for God and His will. After all, the Bible does say this:

“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, Ephesians 4:26, NIV

I may have "not let the sun go down" while irate, but I wasn't sinless. Far from it. As I processed and prayed not just through what had been going on almost a year-and-a-half at that point, but also how it was affecting and changing me, I realized I didn't want my words to be the reason someone else was genuinely hurt. Prior to that point, I had wanted to have the privilege of using Facebook for fun, for connection, for keeping in touch with folks from school and other parts of my past. But with the way the world was changing (as well as ways I was changing), I realized I could no longer be sinless in my conduct in God's eyes while on Facebook. And I considered very carefully what my own Judgment Day might be like if I didn't at least attempt to apologize for the harshness in my comments to date, let alone if I continued on Facebook. So due to what had become an alarming lack of self-control, I left. And my life is so much better for it, more than 2 years later.

As a side note, as for articulating thoughts, struggles, and challenges, I have found that I do much better in this space that God and Blogger.com have graciously provided me. I still believe that part of this purpose God has for me also includes sharing my faith in this space. Considering my history of non-boldness in sharing my faith with work colleagues and otherwise people who aren't already saved, this is a great place for me to share what I believe I need to say, and allows the reader to decide how much he or she is willing to consume before leaving my blog to visit any other website that is not this blog. That seems to work better for me.

We have returned to yet another election cycle, this time for 2024. As we approach the end times, I know that the devil is working overtime to try to screw this world to proportions that are yet unimaginable even now, as well as trying to screw the kingdom of heaven out of as many souls as possible (and vice versa). I'd like to hope and believe that the presidential election this time around will be fair, but at this point in the game, we cannot put our trust in governments. After all:

Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. Psalm 146:3, NIV

But there is a promise (I have to diligently and intentionally note these, given my own current struggles with grabbing hold onto them):

When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Psalm 146:4, NIV

My prayer is that, no matter what happens, the Lord spares His remnant, and that I am part of that remnant.

“In those days, at that time,” declares the Lord, “search will be made for Israel’s guilt, but there will be none, and for the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I will forgive the remnant I spare. Jeremiah 50:20, NIV

I know that this is technically for Israel and Judah. But honestly, I really believe this applies to us as well.