Excerpts from Battle Cry Good vs Evil
Chapter 8: Fear of the Lord
There’s a concerning problem facing society today. When people exercise their right to peacefully assemble, to draw attention to a problem, it’s not remaining peaceful. Some people have the attitude that nobody should be telling us what to do, or dictate how we live. Some confuse freedom with the right to act the way they want. Protests are turning violent, which distracts from the reason they came together in the first place. Instead of the focus being on the cause, it becomes about the violence. We do have the right to peacefully assemble, but we don’t have the right to break the law. When violence is evident, we should be evaluating the motives of the organizers, and the individuals involved. We should never compromise our personal integrity, the integrity of the organizers, or the mission of the organization..
With respect to governing authorities, the structure of society in which we live, is founded on God. Romans 13:1–2 (NLT) 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. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.” Let’s get real. There are some people in positions of authority who do not act like God’s servants. They abuse their authority and do not deserve respect. But even if we don’t respect the person in the position of authority, we must maintain respect for the position. Why? Because people in positions of authority, have the power to negatively affect the lives of the people they govern. We need to remain humble, yet at the same time, hold those in positions of authority accountable for their actions. We need to work the processes in place, to address problems with those who abuse their authority. But no matter what, we must maintain respect for the position.
As a God-fearing nation, we should act less like barbarians and more like God-fearing people. Do the decisions and choices you make as an individual reveal you are God-fearing? Do our choices and decisions as a society, a nation, or the world, reveal we are God-fearing? Does what we see covered in the news today reveal we are God-fearing? Proverbs 19:23 (NLT) says, “Fear of the LORD leads to life, bringing security and protection from harm.” Luke 1:50 (NLT) says, “He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him.”
Author’s comments: The evil in the world is being revealed for all to see. From pandemic to riots, how much more evil can society withstand? The answers are found in God’s Word. Humbly and reverently turn back to God. Respect God and His authority. He is the only One who can provide the healing we so desperately need. Psalm 37:28 (NLT) says, “For the LORD loves justice, and he will never abandon the godly. He will keep them safe forever, but the children of the wicked will die.”
Please don’t hesitate to reach out; Bruce would love to help you grow in your spiritual journey! To contact Bruce personally, go to the website: battlecrygoodvsevil.com. Battle Cry Good vs. Evil is available in paperback or eBook through the website, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes. To get the weekly blogs, be sure to “like” and “follow” Battle Cry on Facebook.