Saturday, January 24, 2009
These Lying Times....Living in a State of Anxiety
These Lying Times....Living in a State of Anxiety
By Carl G Loy
1/23/09
These lying deceitful times are an anxious time. People are worried. Everyone I know and everyone I meet, express some degree of worry. Most don't know what to expect, but most expect the worse. They are worried about the unknown. They are worried about what they do know. They are worried about losses; losses in the stock market, loss of property and home equity, losses in their retirement IRA's, loss of jobs; demotions, debts, decline of their businesses, health issues and related expenses. They are worried about making ends meet; maintaining their lifestyles. People are worried. I understand.
In most all instances of worried people, the common desire is just their wish that things would return to normal. Normal is not having so much worry. They would gladly settle for the worries of a year ago. They worried less then. Then, they worried more about how to have more stuff and still pay for the stuff they had.
Then they worried about being eligible to create more debts, not getting out of debt, or paying off debts. They worried about which stocks were best, whether or not they could qualify for that larger house, or how to expand their business. They worried about which car to buy and where to get the best deal, and what color of new drapes they should have. Normal worries then were so much better than the worries they experience now. I understand.
Not the least of people's worries are worries related to the politics of today and the forthcoming effects of the recent election. People are worried about things unknown, because of what is known, about the new occupant of the Whitehouse. His ideology is recognized by many as a threat to their welfare during the times ahead. The middle class and upper middle class, and the somewhat more wealthy, are worried. They don't know what to do, nor who to listen to. Their world has been turned upside down and what lies ahead may be even worse than it is right now. They're worried. I understand.
The underlying cause of all this worry seems little understood by most. It's easier to blame someone else, than it is to look inward as the cause for their worries. Government, banks, corporations, stock markets, globalism, all receive their just criticisms, but we tend to overlook our own contributions to our time of increased worry. We can't see the greed, the pride, the misplaced faith and priorities, that brought us here.
The underlying cause of our worries are directly related to our choices in the past. We thought success was having things; having assets. We thought our security lay in our possessions and that government would protect them for us. We were fooled. In spite of all the warnings and all the signs over the last few years, we still placed our faith in a system, a system that is of the world, Satan's world. For some reason, even those who professed to worship the true God, still relied upon man and these are men who don't profess to worship the true God. Really? Really! Should it be any surprise that we should find ourselves having been deceived? We should not depend upon the world and place our faith in man's government. We should not place our security in the hands of man, nor seek happiness from the things of this world. If we do, then we are laying the basis for disappointment and worry. That's what I understand.
There doesn't seem to be much difference in the worries of those who are atheists and those who claim to be Christians. It's all about what self wants and what self doesn't want to lose. It's never about what part we played that caused this worry to exist in the first place. Worry is not of God, but of Satan. Worry is because of self, when self is under the influence of Satan's world. God has told His people not to worry, but when His people have strayed, they worry. They worry about the very things He says are not important. But those things are important to them, so they worry. Most all of us are victims of our own worry, a situation we create for ourselves. Some Christians pray, "Please, Lord, just get us out of this mess." Few repent for getting themselves into "this mess." Few will repent for the selfishness that took them to where they find themselves. God didn't have anything to do with it, but now He's supposed to care. God is supposed to provide a solution. Well, He does, but most won't like it. Most are not interested in sacrificing worldly possessions; they want to keep them. That is what worries them most of all. The Disciples are our example. Get rid of your possessions and follow Jesus Christ? Most are not going to be a disciple. God offers refuge from worry, but God does not offer refuge from ourselves. When self means less because God means more, worry is removed. Most do not understand. I understand.
Praise the Lord!
By Carl G Loy
1/23/09
These lying deceitful times are an anxious time. People are worried. Everyone I know and everyone I meet, express some degree of worry. Most don't know what to expect, but most expect the worse. They are worried about the unknown. They are worried about what they do know. They are worried about losses; losses in the stock market, loss of property and home equity, losses in their retirement IRA's, loss of jobs; demotions, debts, decline of their businesses, health issues and related expenses. They are worried about making ends meet; maintaining their lifestyles. People are worried. I understand.
In most all instances of worried people, the common desire is just their wish that things would return to normal. Normal is not having so much worry. They would gladly settle for the worries of a year ago. They worried less then. Then, they worried more about how to have more stuff and still pay for the stuff they had.
Then they worried about being eligible to create more debts, not getting out of debt, or paying off debts. They worried about which stocks were best, whether or not they could qualify for that larger house, or how to expand their business. They worried about which car to buy and where to get the best deal, and what color of new drapes they should have. Normal worries then were so much better than the worries they experience now. I understand.
Not the least of people's worries are worries related to the politics of today and the forthcoming effects of the recent election. People are worried about things unknown, because of what is known, about the new occupant of the Whitehouse. His ideology is recognized by many as a threat to their welfare during the times ahead. The middle class and upper middle class, and the somewhat more wealthy, are worried. They don't know what to do, nor who to listen to. Their world has been turned upside down and what lies ahead may be even worse than it is right now. They're worried. I understand.
The underlying cause of all this worry seems little understood by most. It's easier to blame someone else, than it is to look inward as the cause for their worries. Government, banks, corporations, stock markets, globalism, all receive their just criticisms, but we tend to overlook our own contributions to our time of increased worry. We can't see the greed, the pride, the misplaced faith and priorities, that brought us here.
The underlying cause of our worries are directly related to our choices in the past. We thought success was having things; having assets. We thought our security lay in our possessions and that government would protect them for us. We were fooled. In spite of all the warnings and all the signs over the last few years, we still placed our faith in a system, a system that is of the world, Satan's world. For some reason, even those who professed to worship the true God, still relied upon man and these are men who don't profess to worship the true God. Really? Really! Should it be any surprise that we should find ourselves having been deceived? We should not depend upon the world and place our faith in man's government. We should not place our security in the hands of man, nor seek happiness from the things of this world. If we do, then we are laying the basis for disappointment and worry. That's what I understand.
There doesn't seem to be much difference in the worries of those who are atheists and those who claim to be Christians. It's all about what self wants and what self doesn't want to lose. It's never about what part we played that caused this worry to exist in the first place. Worry is not of God, but of Satan. Worry is because of self, when self is under the influence of Satan's world. God has told His people not to worry, but when His people have strayed, they worry. They worry about the very things He says are not important. But those things are important to them, so they worry. Most all of us are victims of our own worry, a situation we create for ourselves. Some Christians pray, "Please, Lord, just get us out of this mess." Few repent for getting themselves into "this mess." Few will repent for the selfishness that took them to where they find themselves. God didn't have anything to do with it, but now He's supposed to care. God is supposed to provide a solution. Well, He does, but most won't like it. Most are not interested in sacrificing worldly possessions; they want to keep them. That is what worries them most of all. The Disciples are our example. Get rid of your possessions and follow Jesus Christ? Most are not going to be a disciple. God offers refuge from worry, but God does not offer refuge from ourselves. When self means less because God means more, worry is removed. Most do not understand. I understand.
Praise the Lord!
