The peace of the nation.

5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; 6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. 7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace. 

The Holy Bible: King James Version. (1900 Authorized Version., Je 29:5–7).

      These are trying times, and some days there seems to be no end in sight. I have no intention to make any political posts here or on any of my pages. However, I know that even the Lord spoke of political things when the need arose (Mark 12:17).  We have just come through, according to some, 4 blessed years, and according to others 4 horrid years. I am not here to discern between the two. Again, that is something for another time or place.  We are now going into a direct opposite view of the last four years. Many see the future bright and full of "about time", and many others say, "Lord help and what will these times bring". What are we as Christians to do in times like these?

      In our text, we find a prophecy given to the people of Israel about the coming judgement on their lands and people. Very soon, a nation was coming to destroy their homes and to take them captive. They would then proceed to seek to wipe out their history, change the way they speak, think, worship, and act. See Daniel chapter one. No matter what side of the political realm you are on there have been times like this, or now is that time for us. I will quickly remind you that all of this came on them because of their failure to follow Him and His commandments. Nothing brings swifter judgement on a nation than this. Especially one that should know, and has shown that they know better. Even though this judgement was due unto them, God gave them this commandment, and it would do us well to remember it ourselves. Plainly stated, God told them, Do Not Quit Living.  There will be rises and falls in leaders around us, and in those who have authority over us. The entirety of the book of Daniel spoke to this end. Many kings took power and they were reminded that worldly rule is temporary at best and often forgotten by generations to come. We as children of God are to keep living. Build hoses and plant gardens. We are to plan for and prepare for the future. Why would we do that when it seems everything is falling apart? God told us in the book of Genesis that until the end there will be seed time and harvest. God promised there will be a tomorrow unless He returns. That is the guaranteed, and only, end of this world. Because of that we are to live as if another day is coming. Another day we can serve God. A day to continue in our efforts. Build our lives as things will continue, do not throw your hands up and say why mess with it. Take wives and husbands and have children. The family unit is sacred and the essential building block of all community and nations. We are to continue that focus and stand for it. In times of trouble it is still time to stand up for family first. God was telling them to continue to be the children of God He had called them to be. Raise the next generation to follow God. Do not leave our children's moral compass and understanding of God up to the world to teach. The world, just as Babylon, will seek to replace Godly understanding with knowledge and science, so called. Daniel proves that you can learn these things and still keep God first, but it takes an amazing man of faith to do it. Do not leave your children's understanding to chance. There is nothing greater that we can hand down to our children than a love and understanding of God. They are the greatest preparation for the future we can invest in.

        Further than that even, He says, pray for the nation you are in. Please notice God did not put a precursor on this statement based on what nation they were in or the leader in charge. We as Christians, just as the people of Israel, need to remember we are children of God first and Americans second. God has born us again, and even in these times, I believe in the greatest nation in the world. However, even if this nation turns upside down and becomes unrecognizable and stands for everything we know to be wrong, we are to pray for this nation. The nation Israel was taken into served and worshipped idol gods, mocked the one true and living God, and committed abominable things, yet God said pray for that nation. Could they have been more removed from right? We are to pray for the peace of this nation no matter the circumstance. Our efforts to seek the peace of the nation are not based on the nation we dwell in nor the leader of that nation. It is based solely on the God that we serve and the amazing works He has done, is doing, and will do in our lives and the lives of those around us. God tells us that even in wicked nations, in their peace we will find peace. Even in crooked and perverse nations we can increase and not diminish. God help us to be those that seek Your peace in the nation that we dwell. God bless us to be lights in a world darkened by sin. God bless you all and God bless this nation with amazing peace.