1st thought for today “The world may be wicked” (January 16)

The world today is not much interested in God and by the many people who claim they believe in God there is much hatred by all nations against other believers in God. As predicted in Scriptures we can see that the last few years many so-called religious people stood up against other religious people and spread lies and hatred against the others.

Whilst the word of the Elohim Hashem Jehovah is upright and all His work is done in faithfulness, this can not be said about the works of man and works of the flesh. When good people run things, everyone is glad, but when the ruler is bad, everyone groans. Now, coming closer to the end-times, we can see how the badness increases and certain people want to become rulers of the earth themselves.

“1 He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck Shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. 2 When the righteous are increased, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man beareth rule, the people sigh.” (Pr 29:1-2 ASV)

“ When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth; And when the wicked perish, there is shouting.” (Pr 11:10 ASV)

“ When the righteous triumph, there is great glory; But when the wicked rise, men hide themselves.” (Pr 28:12 ASV)

In times of wicked people rising, those who love God should be more interested in joining hands instead of creating divisions by attacking people from other denominations or attacking other faith groups.
Those who love God and believe in His sent one, should follow the attitude and teachings of the son of God. They should spread the same love as Jesus Christ loved those around him and even loved those he did not know yet. They should put their hope in that son of man and believe that there shall come a time when the populace will be washed clean and made like new. Though we should not forget that the wicked will just keep on being wicked, without a clue about what is happening, and they stall keep on judging others and telling others all unjustified things, trying to get them away from such believers in the son of the only One True God. Those who live wisely shall come to see what is happening and shall take their own conclusions. They shall know that God knows the heart and will understand what’s going on. The wise ones shall come to recognise the Only One Who is One True God and shall serve him above the world. Everything they do, as refined people, shall then be in accordance to their faith and according to God’s Will.

“ But Jehovah said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for Jehovah seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looketh on the heart.” (1Sa 16:7 ASV)

“ Every way of a man is right in his own eyes; But Jehovah weigheth the hearts.” (Pr 21:2 ASV)

“ I, Jehovah, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” (Jer 17:10 ASV)

“ And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” (Da 12:3 ASV)

“ Many shall purify themselves, and make themselves white, and be refined; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but they that are wise shall understand.” (Da 12:10 ASV)

“ And I will bring the third part into the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried. They shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people; and they shall say, Jehovah is my God.” (Zec 13:9 ASV)

“6 For the fool will speak folly, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise profaneness, and to utter error against Jehovah, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail. 7 And the instruments of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the meek with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.” (Isa 32:6-7 ASV)

“ Who is wise, that he may understand these things? prudent, that he may know them? for the ways of Jehovah are right, and the just shall walk in them; but transgressors shall fall therein.” (Ho 14:9 ASV)

“ If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from myself.” (Joh 7:17 ASV)

“ He that is of God heareth the words of God: for this cause ye hear them not, because ye are not of God.” (Joh 8:47 ASV)

“ He that is unrighteous, let him do unrighteousness still: and he that is filthy, let him be made filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him do righteousness still: and he that is holy, let him be made holy still.” (Re 22:11 ASV)

The heavens, waters and land were made at the Adonai’s command [word; Gen. 1:8]. By the breath from His mouth, He made all the stars [L its hosts; Gen. 1:16].

“ By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.” (Ps 33:6 ASV)

Though, at the moment that world may be in the hands of the wicked one. We know that none of the God-begotten makes a practice of sin or by full awareness or practice fatal sin just like that. The God-begotten are also the God-protected and when they do something wrong they shall admit it and shall try to make it good, first by asking apologies to those they wronged and after that, by making it clear, to others that they were wrong. The ‘Evil One’ can’t lay a hand on them. Only the people of the world who continue in the grip of the evil one, the satan or devil, as slaves of death and of satan, shall continue their way of the flesh.

“18 We know that whosoever is begotten of God sinneth not; but he that was begotten of God keepeth himself, and the evil one toucheth him not. 19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” (1Jo 5:18-20 ASV)

We all have to overcome the evil one and make sure that we stay clean from unacceptable acts for a Christian. In the world there are enough atheists who do very good works, but there should be a difference between them and a Christian or lover of God. It should be clear to the outside world that we who have conquered the evil one, are set apart as ‘begotten of God’.

“ Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God.” (1Jo 3:9 ASV)

“ We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he who is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” (1Jo 4:6 ASV)

“ Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” (Jas 1:27 ASV)

“ keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” (Jude 1:21 ASV)

“ I write unto you, fathers, because ye know him who is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the evil one. I have written unto you, little children, because ye know the Father.” (1Jo 2:13 ASV)

When being confronted with this wicked world we should pray to God, not that those wicked people would be punished, but that they might come to find the biblical Truth and change or convert to be saved. In the meantime we should try to do our utter best that those around us, being them believers or not, may be safeguarded against evil. We should not make life for others, more difficult than it already is. We should not bring more problems over them, but should try to bring peace and lovingkindness.

“ I pray not that thou shouldest take them from the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil one.” (Joh 17:15 ASV)

When keeping ourselves clean from wickedness and wrongdoing we can try to get others also to come to know Christ Jesus and what he has don for us. As loving brothers and sisters in Christ we should join hands with all those who recognise Jesus as their saviour. Where we might be in the world, we should join hands feeling united in the Body of Christ. As partakers of the Body of Christ we should gather in unity and not in division, to praise our Most High Lord, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah, Who should be our Only One True God. It is to that God above all gods that we should bring praise and glory. To Him, we should release our heart’s joy in sweet music.