Friday; April 20

Do we live in the best of times ... or do we live in the worst of times?  I guess that, depending upon whom we ask, the answer could be “yes”.  We are surrounded by advancements in technology, finances and health care that couldn’t have been imagined a few years back.  Then, on the other hand, our society is struggling with blatant immorality.  The news (as well as community gossip) is filled with stories of evil and unrighteousness. 
Most of us agree that our physical advancements make this a great time in which to live, but there is another segment of the population who lament the present condition of man as being so base and perverse that nothing good could come from the modern world.  While it is easy to hop aboard the “life is rotten” bandwagon, let’s take an honest look back at the history of our world.  Do we recall when this observation was made about mankind, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”?  No, this wasn’t the headline on yesterday’s Washington Post, it is from Genesis 6:5 (by the way – Genesis is the first book of the Bible and covers the beginning of mankind).  While I will not make excuses for modern society, I cannot believe that today’s depravity is any worse than when God said He was sorry that He had made mankind and was plotting to blot them off the face of the earth!
The point to today’s “stop and think moment” is to remind us that we live in an evil world – and we always have.  God’s people have always had to deal with a heathen culture.  The key isn’t in changing the world, rather it is in changing our attitude.  The first thing we must do is separate ourselves from the practices of immorality, then we must recognize the power of God.  He gives us the ability to overcome the word, not be overwhelmed by it.  
Think About It!

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