Is the world going to hell in a handbasket?
Just recently I have been using some of my internet time to read major news. I choose to read from BBC or CNN. I guess since the bombings in the airport in Istanbul, I have been super curious to know what’s going on in that part of the world.
I admit though, I don’t know much of what is going on.
Just today I watched a few videos on CNN of an interview with the President of Turkey.
It seems like so many terrible acts of violence are happening all at once and in so many places around the world.
It seems like the world is turning evil and that there is constantly tragic news to hear or read via the news broadcast.
The world seems hopeless.
Just tonight I heard news of a shooting in a mall in Germany. It was breaking news as I was sitting in a chair catching up on social media.
Is the world going to hell in a handbasket?
Well, truth or not, and whether it appears true or not, there are evil things happening all around the world, regardless if they are broadcast by the major news stations.
Tragic events are happening whether they are in the Western or Eastern world.
Tragic events are happening regardless of developed or developing country or economic status.
Civil wars are raging in Syria with not as much broadcast time as a shooting in Southern America or Germany. Why? I don’t know.
What of all the theories of the recent military coup in Turkey?
Is the whole world as we know it going to hell in a handbasket?
Again, I ask: is the world going to hell in a handbasket?
Doesn’t it say in Ecclesiastes there is nothing new under the sun. [Ecc 1:8-11] That all things that are happening now are not new developments. Nothing is taking God by surprise. He’s not freaking out because his kids are going berserk. His kids have gone berserk before. They have killed each other before. This is not the first time chaos has come into the grand scheme of life.
I interpret this scripture to mean that there is nothing that will throw God’s plans so far off, that all of earth and its inhabitants are going to hell in a handbasket. There is no violence or threat or genocide too drastic to throw God into a headspin. He’s not fallen off his throne.
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Adam + Eve
In the Garden
Since sin entered this world, it is now a fallen world.
We live in a world that is prone to falling to evil. Where good and evil are battling. They are battling, therefore there is no peace unless Jesus is present. The Prince of Peace brings complete and final peace. Once and for all.
But, not all 6+ billion of his kids have experienced and met the One who brings Peace.
Without Peace there is chaos.
There is fear.
Living in fear leads to far worse things.
There’s a war between Peace and Fear. Fear and Love. Light and Dark.
We will be in the midst of this war until Jesus himself comes back to Earth. When Peace comes to shake this world [quite literally because his Peace is complete] only then, when his pure, untainted Peace comes, will the war be finished, once for all.
Until then- we are in the midst of this war.
We chose whether we will live in fear or live in peace.
Live in love or live in fear.
Live in light or live in dark.
Now in regards to the news, and how we operate out of that- I’m not going to tell you how I think you need to think or how I think Papa is telling you that you should live. That’s his job. I won’t try to stand in the place of him and what he is to speak to you.
I want to share what he’s spoken to me about it.
First- I don’t know much about the news. I don’t know much of the happenings around the world.
I’m satisfied with little tidbits to at least feel like I know what’s going on around me. Sometimes I’ll spend about 4 minutes reading the headlines and feel discouragement and don’t open a single article. Sometimes I’ll be reading through the headlines and articles for half an hour, curious for more information and insight.
If you keep up with news- awesome!
If you don’t have any inkling of interest- awesome!
If you have a little bit of interest- awesome!
Whatever place you find yourself in regards to news and world happenings- awesome!
I’m not frustrated or mad or trying to get you to see that I’m right and you’re wrong.
I’m giving all these fore-warnings because these thoughts started churning from a quick conversation from a trusted mentor in my life. The brief conversation happened just a couple hours ago.
I’m not passive-aggressively lashing out or venting or whatever. I’m bringing you in on my thought process and how I’m even processing this now.
I am half way across the earth.
I am in a country not a lot of people know is a country. You may know it, you may not. That’s awesome.
Our squad may or may not be going into a place that is not extremely safe right now. [please don’t post specifics here just for safety and precaution]
We may or may not be going where many of my close family and friends think I’m absolutely crazy for wanting to go there. [they’ve even said “what?! No you don’t want to go there.” Actually I do.]
You may say that we’re being ignorant. You might think this is not even a question or decision to be decided. That’s okay!
I signed up for this.
There is something in my DNA that aches. There’s a part of my heart that yearns to go to these places. Places inconvenient to get to.
I felt the confirmation today when 2 beautiful strangers returned my warm smile right away.
I felt the confirmation in my quiet time with Papa today.
I felt his heart longing for his kids.
He’s given me a piece of his heart, and I’m gonna fight for it.
Isn’t the time now? Isn’t today the day of salvation?
In the midst of chaos- Peace comes into the scene.
In the midst of your chaos and darkness, did not Love come in? Did not Peace come change your world?
There’s no fear in love
The calling is different for every set of DNA fashioned.
Don’t compare your life to mine because of this post.
Where has Papa called you to be the one to fearlessly bring his love?
You have come running
You tore down every wall
All the while shouting
My love you’re worth it all
God you pursue me
With power and glory
Unstoppable love that never ends
You’re unrelenting
With passion and mercy
Unstoppable love that never ends
He has called you! He calls his children to himself. He calls them to himself to bring Peace and Love to their darkness and chaos. He then sends us out. Giving us pieces of his heart.
He is calling!
Will you fearlessly let his GOODNESS overflow out of you?
It’s a calling. You’re worthy of. You’re worth it.
He knows you can’t do it alone. He’s with you. Every step. Every moment.
And this life isn’t even about doing the calling. The doing will come naturally out of the overflow that you’ve positioned yourself in under his Peace and Love for you!
Is the earth going to hell in a handbasket?
Not if I have anything to do about it.
But what can I even do?
I’ve asked that multiple times.
I still ask this question!
Ask Papa.
Pray.
Worship. // We don’t worship our circumstances, we worship our Father.
Fast.
Ask Papa.
Ask Papa.
My King has conquered every mountaintop
His scars have proved that he cannot be stopped
History was changed upon the cross
With victory you rescue all that’s lost
Silence will be broken with our lives
As we live out the love of Jesus Christ
What our eyes have seen our hearts cannot ignore
We’ll lead this generation to the glory of the Lord
Nothing is impossible for Jesus
There’s no heart too hard for Jesus
He’s already won the war
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