Do Not Fret Because of Evildoers

[0:00] Let's open up the scriptures. We're actually going to take a break, if you saw in the bulletin, we're going to take a break from Mark just this week, hopefully just this week, and talk about what's been going on in Ohio.

[0:13] This last week, last Tuesday, we had an election with one very, very important issue on that ballot regarding the right to life of little baby boys and girls.

[0:26] And as much as we hoped that that would fail, it did not. And let me just ask, what was your reaction?

[0:38] How did you feel when you saw the results from issue one? What was it? Upset? Disappointed? Disgusted?

[0:50] Angry? Sick? Sick to your stomach? Any others? Sad? God is on his way quicker to return.

[1:02] God is on his way quicker to return. Yeah. And so, you know, the same in our home. You know, we did some things to try to get the word out, try to get the word out.

[1:18] We passed out signs here at the church to let people know about it. We had Jamie, I don't know, how many people did you call? About 60 people, you know, over the last, you know, probably a week or so before.

[1:32] Whereas other groups did tremendous efforts, going door knocking, making phone calls, purchasing media ads, trying to do everything that we could to stop this monstrous amendment that was ultimately passed.

[1:55] And as we were talking about it on Wednesday morning, I guess, and sharing our emotions and how we felt, I mean, we were talking about things like, we should find another state to move to.

[2:14] Anybody else think that way? Yeah. What an evil thing for a state to do. But then the question came up, well, where do we move?

[2:26] Which place do we move to? Which country? You know, sometimes you think, well, we need to just find another country. You look around and, well, which of the countries out there aren't full of evil and wickedness? That's actually the part of the founding of this country, right?

[2:39] Is people looking for an escape from the wickedness in Europe and the things that were going on there. But, you know, other than, what, Greenland or the Antarctic, there's not many places to go these days.

[3:02] I remember when I went on Tuesday to vote and I stood in front of that voting machine and I read through the whole summary of that issue one. And I remember I read through these words before casting my vote.

[3:19] And it said this as part of this summary of what the amendment was to be. And it said this, it said, always allow an unborn child to be aborted at any stage of pregnancy, regardless of viability.

[3:30] And I got nauseous reading that. And I got outraged. How dare we even vote on such a monstrous, grotesque thing?

[3:50] Even to just vote on something like this and put it before the people is a wicked travesty that we would do something so grotesque.

[4:04] And so today, I want to preach a message to myself to encourage myself in the Lord, but also to share it with all of you.

[4:18] We're going to start in Psalm 37. So if you have your Bibles, open up to Psalm 37. As we know and we teach here, you know, in the Old Testament, the Old Testament has a little bit of a different perspective than what we find in the New Testament under the dispensation of grace in which we live.

[4:41] But we can certainly find truths that can be encouraging to us, that can be instructive.

[4:53] And the Bible tells us to do so, even in this dispensation of grace in which we live, to look to the Old Testament Scriptures for instructions in righteousness, for encouragement, for all kinds of different things.

[5:09] But this is what the psalmist, this is David, writing this psalm, says in Psalm 37. He says this, Do not fret because of evildoers. Do not be envious of the workers of iniquity, for they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the green herb.

[5:29] Trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness. These are words of encouragement for those, and in this case, this is Israel.

[5:44] These are the people of the Jews, God's people, living in a land. They were at this time living in the land of Israel, but they were surrounded by their enemies, evildoers, as they are called here in this psalm.

[6:01] And this psalm is saying, don't fret. Don't be envious of them, because there are things that you could be envious of.

[6:13] See why the wicked prosper, some of the other psalms say. We're going to talk about three things, well, three primary things today in looking at this.

[6:25] That there are evildoers in the world. Two, God's righteous judgment when it comes to evildoers. And then three, God's solution to the problem and our trust that we can have in His faithfulness, not only to us, but to the whole world.

[6:50] You know, after the election, an issue one passed, I saw a lot of chatter online about what did we do wrong, right? Should we have taken a different approach, a different strategy?

[7:05] Should we have done things differently? Should we have tried to raise more money? And, you know, more money always helps, right? Should we have advertised in different ways? Should we have brought up different parts of the issue and focused on this or that?

[7:20] And I've seen even people say, well, if everybody else would have just used my strategy, we would have won. And I don't think that's true at all. Maybe, but I just don't see that as true.

[7:36] Did you see the difference? What was it? 50, 57% to 43? That is a huge loss. That isn't a small loss.

[7:47] That's huge. And a lot of people have said, well, it's mostly the big cities, right? You look at the election results by county and it's mostly, you know, Columbus and Cleveland and Cincinnati and Dayton and Toledo.

[8:01] But even here in Springfield, it's about 50-50. And the county where I live, 50-50 about. 50-50 about. 50-50 about.

[8:17] And you look at the total results, there was over 2 million people in Ohio that read those words. Let me read them again. Always allow an unborn child to be aborted at any stage of pregnancy regardless of viability.

[8:33] They read those words and they cast their vote, yes. And here in the scriptures it tells us why. Because they are evildoers.

[8:50] And we're surrounded in Ohio, not just Ohio but the rest of the country, by evildoers. Those who when they're asked to make a decision, will you protect innocent life or will you look the other way?

[9:10] will you allow that life to be destroyed? They will cast their vote with the demons of hell. Yet, who among us would consider themselves an evildoer?

[9:28] evil doer? Anybody, it's not like the cartoons right in the movies where you have, you know, you've watched some cartoons where there's the maniacal, devious evildoer. That's not usually how things work in the real world.

[9:42] Nobody considers themselves an evildoer. In fact, most people want to be seen by others as righteous. even as we've seen with this whole thing going on in the Middle East with Hamas and these terrorists that have invaded Israel, they consider themselves righteous doing God's work, boasting, bragging about their evil deeds.

[10:10] And so many will give justification for their actions for being, quote, pro-choice. Well, I just want to have compassion on these mothers.

[10:26] So instead of helping a mother in crisis by bringing her real help in her time of need, you're just going to say, here, just get rid of the problem through bloodshed.

[10:44] That's where your compassion is. Or sometimes people will say, well, it's compassion on the children.

[10:55] They're unwanted and we don't want them to grow up in a world where they're going to be unwanted. And so many consider themselves compassionate we even will give this concept of abortion dignified names such as family planning.

[11:22] We're doing something good. We're just planning. Or women's health. And those who try to defend the right to life of these little baby boys and girls will actually be demonized as extremists and oppressors of women.

[11:41] It makes me think of what Isaiah said in Isaiah 52 verse or excuse me Isaiah 5 verse 20. Woe to those who call evil good and good evil who put darkness for light and light for darkness who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.

[12:00] Some think that they can hide their evil. They're not like Hamas who goes out and we live stream our violence against the innocent.

[12:14] No, in this country what we do is we hire professionals to commit acts of violence in secret behind closed doors.

[12:26] We use incinerators to get rid of the evidence. And when those who are trying to defend the lives of little baby boys and girls take pictures of the violence out into the public what is their response?

[12:48] Well, generally it's anger. Not at the violence that they see in the pictures but that you would dare show that to the public.

[13:03] that you would dare to expose what is being done in secret. In Psalm 37 12 the Bible speaks of these people it says the wicked plot against the just and also the innocent and gnashes at him with his teeth.

[13:26] I've seen it. Of course there are also those who I just don't want to be bothered with that. That's something I don't want to deal with.

[13:38] I'm just going to walk on by. All the people involved in your political schemes and all that I have my life to live. There are those who are that way.

[13:54] Yet are any of our sins that we commit are any of them really truly hidden? Are any of them done in secret never to be found out again?

[14:07] Hebrews 4.13 says this and there is no creature hidden from his sight but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

[14:21] I found over the years and I think I even had this view as a young Christian there's this idea that the unbelievers are generally just poor lost souls wayward trying to find the truth and not being able to find it and they just need somebody to show them the way and if somebody shows them the way they'll be so overjoyed and happy to find the truth they're looking for God but they're just looking in all the wrong places but is that what the Bible says is that what the Bible teaches well let's look at Romans Romans chapter 1 Romans chapter 1 verse 18 Romans chapter 1 verse 18 and it says this for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth and unrighteousness he's not talking about those who are looking for the truth those who are suppressing the truth those who will spend millions of dollars on a media campaign to hide what the reality of their issue really is to deceive verse 19 because what may be known of

[15:55] God is manifest in them for God has shown it to them for since the creation of the world his invisible attributes are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power in Godhead so that they are without excuse because although they knew God they knew about him they knew who he was they knew there was a creator that made them but although they knew him they did not glorify him as God nor were they thankful but they became futile in their thoughts and their foolish hearts were darkened and why were their foolish hearts darkened because they darkened them that's what it's saying now we always have plenty of help right it's not just that we darken our own hearts we have lots of help from the world from others to help darken our hearts so although they knew

[17:06] God they didn't glorify him as God I mean he didn't provide them what they are looking for and the moral instruction that he provides is somewhat burdensome and well God's kind of uptight and he's puritanical and so I'm not going to glorify him I'm not going to thank him he gets in my way and we'll skip down just for time's sake to verse 28 and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge he gave them over to a debased mind to do those things which are not fitting he's an annoyance he's an obstacle to my way of life and I'll just put him out of my thoughts ignore any thoughts of God or maybe I'll do this I'll just create a God that I like that I prefer a God in my image who will approve of the way that I want to live the things that I want to do then it says this in verse 29 being filled with all unrighteousness sexual immorality wickedness covetousness maliciousness full of envy murder strife deceit evil mindedness they are whisperers back biters haters of God violent proud boasters inventors of evil things disobedient to parents undiscerning untrustworthy unloving unforgiving unmerciful this list is the state of the world in which we live it's not that there's generally just poor lost souls looking for answers the world is full of violence full of evil and full of evildoers says this in the final verse of chapter 1 verse 32 who knowing the righteous judgment of

[19:11] God that those who practice such things are deserving of death they not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them well I would I would never have an abortion myself but who am I to tell other people what to do I'm righteous I would never do that but I'm going to approve approve of those who will according to this does that get you off the hook oh I wouldn't do it myself but I'm going to approve of those who practice them this is the state of the world this is the state of Ohio this is the state of the world in which we live it's not just here it's not like

[20:13] America is unique it's not like Ohio is unique this is how it is across the world and so what does God say about the future of these evildoers that it describes we go back to Psalm 37 do not fret because of evildoers nor be envious of the workers of iniquity for they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the green herb cut down like grass you know as part of our cultural lore we like to create godlike figures and in America and really elsewhere western countries if you will we celebrate Christmas Christmas is a wonderful time of year we have this godlike figure we call Santa Claus and he brings us everything that we want everything that we desire but we recognize that there are some people who are nice and some people who are a little naughty so a part of this cultural lore we have this godlike figure

[21:35] Santa Claus who gives gifts to the nice children but then there's the naughty list and if you're on the naughty list you'll just deposit a little lump of coal into your stocking but our god is not like Santa the bible says over and over again both in the old testament and in the new testament that our god is a consuming fire back to psalm 37 verse 2 for they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the green herb and you know this scripture is supposed to be a comfort to god's people a comfort to the righteous there is coming a day when the wicked will be no more we won't have to deal with all this wickedness anymore skipping down to verse 9 of chapter 37 for evil doers shall be cut off but those who wait on the lord they shall inherit the earth it's talking about

[22:52] Israel Israel their inheritance is the earth verse 10 for yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more indeed you will look carefully for his place but it shall be no more there's a day coming the bible says a future when the wicked will be gone instead of violence in the world there will be peace instead of fear about taking my family to the grocery store because of the violence walking down certain streets going to certain parts of the country there will be comfort and peace everywhere you go there will be no more fear no more suffering no more pain because the evil doers will be no more they will be gone that sounds pretty intense I mean we're reading the old testament this is the god of the old testament right god is different now right right let's read the new testament 2nd thessalonians 1 6 this is paul writing to believers being persecuted by by unbelievers they're being persecuted violence is being done against them they're things are being taken from them they're being bullied in some ways we don't know all the details you know some of the details of what happened to paul himself he talks about being whipped and beaten with rods and shipwrecked and going hungry all kinds of things 2nd thessalonians 1 verse 6 since it is a righteous thing with god to repay with tribulation those who trouble you it is a righteous thing this isn't god just getting upset and doing something where he kind of lost his temper this is part of the righteousness of god that for those who will trouble you who trouble the righteous who will trouble the innocent you will repay with tribulation verse 7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the lord jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels when jesus returns he's coming back he's coming with his angels and he's going to give rest to his people but that's not all verse 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know god and he's not talking about you know we just read that knows about him he's talking about those who have rejected god who have not known him in a relational way and on those who do not obey the gospel of our lord jesus christ and he's talking about the way of escape this gospel and we'll talk about that in a moment but our god is a flaming fire who will take vengeance verse 9 these shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the lord and from the glory of his power when he comes in that day to be glorified in his saints and to be admired among all those who believe because our testimony among you was believed there's another passage from the new testament this one is from a book called revelation does that talk about god's judgment the book of revelation has a lot of judgment it talks a lot about the violence that the world will

[26:53] commit against specifically god's people the jews the faithful jews at that time then it also talks about god's vengeance in that day the book of revelation isn't one of those books that has a lot of you know quips and quotes you can put up on your wall you know the nice sayings about the lord you might not want to read the book of revelations late at night because you might have nightmares about what god is going to do in the world in the day of vengeance revelation chapter 6 verse 15 it says this revelation chapter 6 verse 15 and the kings of the earth or presidents we might say presidents governors and the great men those who rule those who have power the rich men

[27:58] I think about the titans of power and industry people like George Soros and Bill Gates and Warren Buffett who give millions of dollars by the way of their wealth to promote abortion not only in this country but across the world they're not satisfied just to promote it here they want to do it all across the globe it makes me think about celebrities who use their fame and their prestige to promote violence and bloodshed here it talks about the commanders the mighty men and then it says every slave and every free man this isn't talking about just the powerful but even the dishwashers the toilet scrubbers what's it say about all these people it's talking about the day of judgment and it says they hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains and they said to the mountains and the rocks they looked up at the mountains and the rocks and they said fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb he he he he he he he spoke to the mountains he spoke to the rocks fall on us because we do not want to face a god of vengeance he's too terrible for us the wrath of the lamb well who is that

[29:20] Jesus the lamb of God verse 17 for the great day of his wrath has come and who is able to stand that's that's what they say when judgment day comes and then we'll go back to Romans and read more and continue on in chapter 2 of Romans Romans 2 verse 1 says this therefore you are inexcusable oh man remember he had just been talking about the evil doers the world is full of wickedness and violence and evil inventor people invent new evil things when you think they've invented everything somebody comes up with something even more despicable and vile than we could have even imagined therefore you are inexcusable oh man whoever you are who judge for whatever you judge another you condemn yourself and doesn't everybody do that all the evildoers they judge oh you are the oppressors of women oh so you're saying there is a standard of right and wrong is that what you're saying okay so we know that's clear for you who judge practice the same things but we know that the judgment of

[30:52] God is according to truth God's judgment when he judges the world it will be according to truth not lies he won't be making things up won't be fake news the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things and do you think this oh man you who judge those practicing such things and doing the same that you will escape the judgment of God or you do you despise the riches of his goodness forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance but in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourselves wrath and the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God and that's what happened last week there were millions of people over two million of people and by pushing that button and we're just using this as an example is this the only thing is the only evil thing that has been done in

[31:58] Ohio or in this country or across the world this is just one example where it becomes so pointed and some might think well actually I didn't push that button I didn't vote I didn't do this maybe I voted the other way but what about the other list of things we use this as an example over two million Ohio voters decided that what they were going to do they thought they were voting they thought they were just pushing a button but what the Bible says here is that what they chose to do was to treasure up the wrath of God for themselves because they will be held accountable for the decision that they made on that day when they stand before him they will have to give an account all men will have to give an account it says in 1

[33:00] Corinthians chapter 6 again talking about the unrighteous that they will not inherit the kingdom of God Paul is writing to Christians he is talking to believers people who have trusted in Christ who are Christian people and he says this 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 9 he says do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God the unrighteous they're not going to inherit the kingdom this is God's kingdom come on earth he's talking about don't be deceived some people are they think well everybody will inherit God's kingdom God's just he's just going to forget about everything come enjoy my kingdom or come enjoy heaven do not be deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor homosexuals nor sodomites nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of

[34:01] God don't be deceived and this is where I want to focus on next this next verse 11 and he says this and such were some of you can any of you identify with that such were some of you I can identify with that though now I'm ashamed looking back at many of the things that I've done I can go back and say that was me that he's talking about I look back at things that I done and I am ashamed at at the time I'm sure I didn't consider myself an evildoer as most people don't even now it's easy right to look back and just kind of justify the things that we've done to hurt other people to destroy the lives of other people to cause pain and suffering well it was because how I was raised or this person had this influence on me a bad influence but believe me those things won't work when you stand before

[35:26] God we will stand before God alone on the day of judgment and give an account for ourselves what we did but it's not healthy to do as a Christian even though we'll talk about this in a minute what God did for us and his forgiveness but when we look back at our own lives we shouldn't try to give justification for our evil deeds we should just take the word of God at full face value and our own actions at face value own those things that's part of living a healthy Christian life we can all think of sins some things that were hidden that we hoped nobody would ever find about we did out in the open and we bragged about it some things that we were ashamed of and this is the rest of that verse 1

[36:35] Corinthians 6 verse 11 and such were some of you such were some of you were evildoers but you were washed but you were sanctified but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God all your sins washed away in a moment sanctified made holy justified called righteous in the name of the Lord Jesus by God's spirit by God's power Ephesians 2 speaks more to this Ephesians 2 verse 1 Ephesians 2 verse 1 says this and you again he's talking to believers these are people who have trusted in Christ who have chosen to humble themselves before God and trust in Christ and you he made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins in which you once walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air you used to walk we as believers we used to walk according to this we walked with the devil with the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience among whom also we also once conducted ourselves in the lust of the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature children of wrath just as the others just like everybody else we we were just part of the crowd doing what others were doing just in filling our lives with pleasure trying to get mine and then verse four but

[38:27] God without God we would have just stayed where we were but God intervened isn't he wonderful but God who is rich in mercy because of his great love with which he loved us why would he love us why does he love the world doesn't he see how horrific the world is how horrific these people are out there how horrific we were there's nothing hidden from the face of God is there it's not that he doesn't see because of his great love with which he loved us even when we were dead in trespasses we were reveling in sin this is what he did he made us alive together with

[39:42] Christ by grace you have been saved and he raised us up together and he made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus he was willing to make us an offer an offer that you know from where I stand today how how could anyone refuse yet so many do he showed the exceeding abundance of his grace and his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus Romans 5 10 makes it so clear for when we were enemies he's talking about enemies of God we were reconciled to God for if when we were enemies we were reconciled to

[40:43] God through the death of his son much more having been reconciled we shall be saved by his life it wasn't when we were poor lost wanderers searching for the truth but when we were enemies of God he reached out in kindness and mercy with an offer of life for anyone who is willing to receive it again a little earlier in that same chapter of Romans Romans 5 6 for when we were still without strength in due time Christ died for not the righteous for the ungodly for us for scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die but God demonstrates his own love toward us and not just towards us toward everyone and that while we were still sinners

[41:47] Christ died for us you know so many treat life like it's a game I gotta get the most points I gotta earn the most toys get the most prizes people look for power and riches and fame trying to enjoy the most experiences in life but God has offered to the world and he is offering to the world today mercy and grace and peace to anyone who is willing and God forbid that anyone should despise his goodness and patience going back to that verse in Romans 2 or do you despise the riches of his goodness his forbearance and his long suffering he's willing to offer eternal life forgiveness forgiveness to take all of our evil deeds and put them in the past and throw them into the sea of forgetfulness would we despise that despise his goodness despise his patience despise his offer to to give us what we so urgently need you know

[43:18] God doesn't have to be good to evil doers he doesn't he doesn't have to he doesn't have to be patient he doesn't have to forbear but he does it says this in the Bible it says that God commands even in this day all men everywhere to repent to turn to turn from evil and to turn where to God and he says this today if you hear his voice don't ignore him don't harden your hearts the book of Hebrews says if you hear his voice don't harden your hearts and you know I look around in this room and as far as I know everybody here is a believer but if there happens to be someone who is not let this message sink in don't ignore God's offer because each time someone hardens their heart it gets harder to soften it again today is the day of salvation the Bible says so if there is anyone in the sound of my voice whether here or listening to this audio don't wait judgment day is coming and for some it will be sooner than others

[44:47] God's offer is ready it's at hand and the Bible says he won't turn anyone away no matter what you've done isn't that incredible isn't that amazing but turn to him today call on him all you have to do is what trust him receive the gift it's there it's offered his hand outstretched receive the gift you can have eternal life we'll finish up with this these are heavy words I don't know if this has been encouraging to anybody but maybe these final words will be I am looking forward to the day in which there will be peace where we won't have to deal with Hamas and violence all around us in fact the psalmist says this the righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance when judgment day comes and the wicked are removed the righteous will rejoice it'll be a day of rejoicing but in the meantime what are we to do back to psalm 37 and I'll read the whole thing again psalm of

[46:15] David do not fret because of evil doers don't fret it's easy to do don't become overwhelmed with evil do not despair we can calm down take a deep breath don't be envious we certainly shouldn't do that of the workers of iniquity for they shall soon be cut down like grass and wither as the green herb and then verse 3 trust in the Lord and do good put our trust in him our hope our focus is on eternity our focus is on God's promises to us for the future and while we have the opportunity we can do good continue to fight right it's easy when there's a failure with something like this we failed to get issue one that's what am I trying to say to get it voted against to have it turned down and so it can be you can kind of just give up right

[47:22] I'm going to stop trying nope keep going keep going continue to do good and it says this dwell in the land and feed on his faithfulness God is faithful to us he is faithful to us dwell nourish our spirits and our minds on his truth and on his goodness and on his faithful to us a few verses down verse 7 here in psalm 37 verse 7 rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him we can take rest in him especially in his salvation right that we enjoy wait on him then it says this verse 8 cease from anger and forsake wrath do not fret it only causes harm it's easy to just kind of become overwhelmed with anger at the whole world and the Bible does say that God is angry at the world too but he doesn't allow it to overwhelm him he makes room for mercy for the world mercy and love and grace and we ought to as well finally one of the passages that

[48:38] I think of when it's kind of overwhelmed with the evil in the world in which we live as I go to Jeremiah 29 and this is Jeremiah was one of the prophets and he was speaking to the people of Israel who were in exile and they were living in a land not their own they were living in captivity and there's a parallel right to us as believers we are like foreigners in a strange land we're just passing through the Bible puts it that way and they were literally foreigners in a strange land and we are more so spiritually but we can still take lessons from what the prophet Jeremiah spoke to Israel and he said this in Jeremiah 29 verse 4 thus says the Lord of hosts the God of Israel to all who were carried away captive whom I have caused to be carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon in their case that was part of God's plan for them and I guess you know in some sense it is God's plan for us to live among the world yet not to be of it but he says this in the next verse build houses and dwell in them plant gardens and eat their fruit take wives and beget sons and daughters and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands so that they may bear sons and daughters that you may be increased there and not diminished and seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive and pray to the

[50:08] Lord for it for in its peace you will have peace don't curse the darkness though it's easy to do don't go into hiding don't cower in fear what does he say build continue building continue building your Christian life build our families invest in our families build Christian culture in our communities and in our churches build God's church a church that will stand for righteousness a church that will be a refuge against the evil in the world a place that can be a light in a dark world and also yeah a refuge for believers from the cruelty and the leaven that's in the world and then he said to the Israelites he said seek peace you know the first thing I think of is peace with God right we want to seek peace in the land in which we live and you know we do want peace from war right conflict we don't want any conflict in our nation or in any nation of the world but specifically where we live but the number one piece that we should pursue where we live is teaching people to have peace with God if they're willing and then he finishes up with this he says after he says seek the peace of the city where I've caused you to be carried away captive and he says this and pray to the

[51:56] Lord for it pray to the Lord for it and that's also what we should do we should pray to the Lord and ask him to be at work in Ohio and in our nation and all the communities in which we live again not cursing the darkness but bringing hope bringing the gospel of peace and praying for goodness in our land and then ultimately looking forward and that's the foundation in which we live we look forward to our future with the Lord in that future time so let's take the time and we'll let's just pray now for our state for our nation that God would be at work

[53:08] Father there's a lot of evil in the world and one day you will wipe evil from the face of the earth you will but right now you're showing mercy you showed mercy to all of us in this room all the ones who are trusting in you which I trust is most secure we're so grateful that you showed mercy to us there's so many more who need mercy and we ask Father that you be at work in our community in our state in our nation to draw people to you that you would use us to be ones who would point people in your direction that we would not become discouraged at all of those who refuse that offer we would continue in our everyday lives to push forward to make the offer known to build our lives trusting in you to make your word known in our families and in our churches to continue in your faithfulness and have lives of joy and peace in the inside while there's turmoil all around us thank you for your faithfulness to us your mercy and grace and offer of peace to all the world in Jesus name amen amen alright thanks everyone