TURMOIL!

 

It is hard to watch the news at night. MY HEART ACHES for this country. I ache to see riots in the streets. I ache to see people rebel against authority. I ache to see ATTACKS upon the church. Yet, when I read scripture, they were facing the same evil 2000 years ago. The attacks are not just from MAN. The attacks we see are straight from the gates of hell. This morning I was reading Acts 17 and it struck me that the early church faced much of the same attacks we face today. So much so, that Jason, a believer was attacked within his home.

"But some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, searching for Paul and Silas so they could drag them out to the crowd. Not finding them there, they dragged Jason and some of the other believers instead and took them before the city council. 'Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world,' they shouted, 'and now they are here disturbing our city, too." (Acts 17:5-6, NLT)

Preaching the gospel was considered stirring up trouble. I fear we are close to that same thinking here in 2026. Paul and Silas were on the move because of all this TURMOIL. They went to Berea, where the turmoil followed them. They fled to the coast then to Athens. They were like the prey being hunted down, just for spreading the message of JESUS. 

It hurts my heart that there is such discontent and persecution of my fellow Christians is on the rise. Lord, we need you! This psalm of David speaks the same message:

"Oh Lord, hear my plea for justice. Listen to my cry for help. Pay attention to my prayer, for it comes from honest lips. Declare me innocent, for you see those who do right." (Psalm 17:1-2, NLT)

Later on in Psalm 17 we read this:

"I am praying to you because I know you will answer O God. Bend down and listen as I pray. Show my your unfailing love in wonderful ways. By your mighty power you rescue those who seek refuge from their enemies. Guard me as you would guard your own eyes. Hide me in the shadow of your wings. Protect me from the wicked people who attack me, from murderous enemies who surround me. They are without pity. Listen to their boasting!" (Psalm 17:6-10, NLT)

The Lord protects his people even in the midst of such amazing TURMOIL. He is with us. He guards us, he rescues us from wicked people who attack us. We have nothing to fear when we are obedient to the Lord. We have nothing to hide or conceal. We can be bold in our mission to share the truth! Praise God.

Heavenly Father, I know your heart also aches at all the pain and turmoil in this world. You see the results of sinful people who have rejected you. You see the results of people who are not just satisfied rejecting you, they attack your children. Please Lord keep us safe. Protect us from that enemy so that we can win some to you. Amen!

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"because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." (Romans 10:9-10, ESV)

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