From The Crucible (by Pastor Linda Pugsley)

© Bill McCown | www.myghcf.com

Ever hear this statement before? “The world is going to hell in a hand basket”. What the heck does that mean? Does it mean we’re just being carried on the arm of the devil straight to hell with him; might seem like that sometimes. But to believe that, you have to throw away all God has said about loving us and not wanting that any should perish. To believe evil is winning is to throw away everything God has said about His promises of strength and life and victory. Proverbs 3:5 tells us to lean on and trust in the Lord; to have our confidence in Him with all of our heart and mind. Most importantly, He tells us not to lean on our own understanding.

In the face of the reality of crime statistics often going down, one incident, like the recent shooting in a theater by someone obsessed with Batman's fantasy world, can throw us for a loop and into thinking we are in that proverbial hell-bound basket. Do not go there! Horror, disobedience, the curse on our bodies and this earth started a long time ago. Heck, Cain killed Abel, for crying out loud…and it hasn't stopped since! But God never gave up on us when it turned ugly -- so don't you. Darkness is only overcome by light. Consuming hatred and venom toward that Colorado movie theater shooter will do nothing but have you enter his sick and evil realm. Pray for our justice system to bring forth what is due him. I would hope that out of all this grief and suffering would come a fierce determination to assure this incident remain an anomaly and not our daily routine. Don’t jump in the hand basket headed for hell. Instead, get a ticket, through Jesus, for His train bound for glory. (Ephesians 5:1-6) Endure the fire…it’s producing pure gold!

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