Executive Producer

This episode is brought to you in part by Executive Producer, John Anonymous.

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 72 NCV, Ch. 73-74 NIV

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Thoughts

Chapter 72
As I write this the date is December 7, 2020. What was supposed to be “Election Day”, November 3, 2020, has turned into Election Season. Joe Biden is being called the President-elect, even though the Electoral College has not yet voted, and several states are still not decided. President Trump has several legal teams building cases that there were voting irregularities in these states. I have no idea who will prevail. I know who I think will be better for the country, and the world. But I do not know who the ultimate winner of the highest office of the land will be.

But I do know one thing for certain. God knows, and not only does He know, He has control over who the winner will be. Romans 13:1 says, “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.”

Why do I bring this up now? Because even though Psalms 72 is a prayer for king Solomon, I think that much of it is appropriate for any leader.

God is asked to give the king good judgement, goodness, fairness, peace in the land, good crops for the people, and on and on.

Whoever wins in 2020, we should be praying this prayer for him.

Chapter 73
In Psalms 73 today, we see a man who at first seems to be complaining that doing right and living a good life isn’t worth the effort. He suffered, while the unrighteous seemed to have it easy. But then, when he entered the sanctuary, he realized that their ultimate destiny was ruin. Have you ever thought that it just doesn’t seem fair? You look around and see people that you know do not live for God, and they have money, power, influence, fame and all the rest, while you struggle to make ends meet. Maybe you have physical challenges, or people look at you like you’re stupid to believe in a God you cannot see.

My friend, hang in there. We are here on this earth for only a moment in time. Eternity is a long, long, long time. I will gladly sacrifice the supposed comforts of wealth now, to live in fellowship and the presence of the Lord forever. I have no doubt that it will be worth it. Run the race all the way to the finish line!

Chapter 74
The year is 2020. A couple days ago, I heard someone say, “This year has been a very long decade.”

Isn’t that the truth?

Covid. Lockdowns. Masks. Riots. An economy that is reeling. Mom and Pop businesses going bankrupt because of the lockdowns while a few giant companies have record-breaking profits. Skyrocketing unemployment, also caused by lockdowns. A seemingly eternal presidential election. I could go on,

The opening sentence of Psalms 74 captures what many today might be thinking: O God, why have you rejected us forever?

The world is indeed a troubled place right now. Most of the world has rejected God, and has been living in rebellion to Him for decades, and even centuries. Even the United States of America, which had its founding primarily for the practice of freedom of religion, threw God out of the schools in 1963, when I was in the third grade. And since Roe v. Wade, millions of babies have been murdered, sacrifices to the gods of convenience, selfishness and sexual freedom. If I offend you, so be it.

God allowed Israel to fall because of their worship of false gods. Do we in America think that if God allowed His chosen people to be taken into captivity multiple times, He won’t judge America? I truly do hope and pray that He will continue to shed His grace on us, but for how long will He put up with the rebellion? Only He knows.

But beloved, we must carry His banner. We must speak the truth of Christ boldly. People truly do need the Lord. We must not hide His light under a bushel. Yes, culturally it might seem like the deck is stacked against us, but Jesus started the church with just 12 men.

I know that some listening to this show are not in America. I’m talking to you, too. Some of you are just north of me in Canada, some in the UK, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia. There are listeners in Singapore, Nigeria and Spain. I could go on. Every one of you in each of the 40 nations that are listening to me right now, and who know Jesus as your savior, have family or friends or acquaintances who need Jesus in their lives. If each of us were to make it a point to tell them what Jesus has meant in our lives, how many people would be brought into God’s family? How many people’s eternities would be changed?

Do you think that would change the world? It would change the world for those people.

Those of us who are believers are first and foremost citizens of Heaven. Our responsibility is to live for God. But He put each of us where we are, by design. We are to influence those around us. We are to share the Gospel with those God puts in our path. If we do that faithfully, God can use us to make a difference.