"JUSTICE FOR ALL"

 

JUSTICE FOR ALL

 

Do you remember saying the Pledge of Allegiance when you were in school?

It’s something I haven’t said in so long I almost forgot the words. As I kept saying it, the words came back in the right order. What stood out is “justice for all “

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America” and to its republic for which it stands, one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all.”

Why did the words “justice for all” stand out? Because it doesn’t seem there is justice for all while we are on this earth. People commit crimes, and it seems as though justice isn’t truly served. Innocent people get blamed for things they did not do. People lie about others in hopes of benefiting in some way.

There is so much corruption and bribery among those who serve to keep us safe. From those serving us in the white house to local judges and county administrators.

I often think of how easy it is for Christians today to serve God through Jesus Christ than how it was before Jesus came to reconcile us to God. There were so many rules for God’s people. Once the Christians were grafted in, Romans 10:12 states, "For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him."

As I read the Bible, it seemed so hard to do everything required of God’s people. There were very specific rules, sacrifices, days of remembrance, and ways to celebrate those days.

I also read about the consequences for breaking the laws. Was justice better served back then?

We say it takes a village, yet “don’t discipline my child.” I shudder to think how many of our children would not be with us today if we had to live by the rule in Deuteronomy 21:18-21.

This passage describes a scenario where a stubborn and rebellious son is brought before the elders, and if he does not heed their discipline, he is to be stoned to death by the community. This command reflects the seriousness of disobedience in ancient Israelite society.

Of course, this advice is not to be heeded today, but think for a moment. What if it was? In this case, the parent was not the one who imposed the punishment; the community was.

Understanding this passage requires examining its historical and cultural context. Google explained the passage this way.

• Cultural Context — In ancient Israel, community and family honor were paramount, and severe measures were seen as necessary to maintain social order.
• Legal Framework — The law did not permit parents to unilaterally execute their children; the process involved community elders and was meant to uphold justice.
• Modern Interpretation — Many scholars argue that this passage should not be taken literally today, emphasizing the need for understanding the underlying principles rather than the specific commands.
• Moral Lessons — The focus is often on the importance of obedience and respect within family structures, rather than on the punishment itself.

As I was reading the book of Exodus, the heading for chapter 23 stood out to me. There it was: “Justice for all”.

“You shall not circulate a false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after many to pervert justice.

 You shall not show partiality to a poor man in his dispute. If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying under its burden, and you would refrain from helping it, you shall surely help him with it.

You shall not pervert the judgment of your poor in his dispute. Keep yourself far from a false matter; do not kill the innocent and righteous. For I will not justify the wicked. And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the discerning and perverts the words of the righteous.

Also, you shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the heart of a stranger, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”  Exodus 23:1-9

Interestingly, it said to help a person who hates you. Would you help someone who hated you? Would you take things back to a person you knew belonged to them so they could continue working? A donkey and ox were used for work.

Jesus said in the New Testament in Matthew to love our enemies.

The part about not taking a bribe or being a false witness would help maintain justice. Not showing favoritism in situations shows justice.

In the New Testament, in 1 Timothy 5:21, “I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing without partiality. Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's sins; keep yourselves pure.”

With everything happening in our borders today, how do you interpret don’t oppress a stranger? I see that the stranger should not be treated any differently and should follow the laws and rules. Breaking the laws to stay in the land, they would then need to follow the rules. Because someone is poor, we should not show favoritism when it comes to the rules, it said.

In the United States, we do both. The government shows favoritism to the poor by allowing them to eat without working. They show favoritism to the wealthy and famous by not subjecting them to the same laws.

I cannot continue working on this right now. What I do know is justice does not seem to be served on earth. It disgusts me. There is so much swirling in my mind right now I can’t even get it to where it may make sense. Sometimes nothing on this earth makes sense.

When I get like this, I need to go to the one who can calm my thoughts and bring justice in the end. I know I do not get the punishment that would truly be mine if Jesus had not come and taken it for me. He took it for this world and all its messed up ways. No man, no president, king, or queen can fix the lives of its people. No amount of money can do it.

My mind starts to slip into a depression as I think of the sad state of affairs of this world. I’m not going to blame the government. Some individuals make up the government.

There are people you meet every day or see on the streets who could be kinder, work harder, make better choices, but it’s not about them. OR IS IT?

Should any of that be my concern? Should it be yours? Should we care about anyone but ourselves? There is so much imbalance in many of our lives.

Some are too religious, too political, too controlling, workaholics, exhausted parents, constant travelers, alcoholics, drug addicts, fighters for causes, too political, shopaholics, health fanatics; where does it end?

Not all of those things above are bad, but where is the balance? How do we find it?

Should I care? Should you care? I feel as if I’m not in a good place. Why? Because when Jesus says “Love your enemy” and “love your neighbor as yourself I feel very inadequate.

The Lord God, Father of Jesus Christ, the One given for this world and all its darkness and sin, will always bring peace and clarity to my mind when I seek Him out and His ways. He has saved me. Because of Jesus, I have been saved from many of the world's ways that would have destroyed me. When my mind is set on Jesus Christ, depression has to flee.

Yes, I am inadequate, especially when I forget what words Jesus spoke before “love your neighbor as yourself”.

Here it is: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:30 is the key. The key to everything. The key to unlock love for others. The key that lets me do the 2^nd thing.

“Love your neighbor as yourself.” I can do all things through Jesus Christ. Yes, through Him I can love my enemy and pray for those who persecute followers of Jesus today. Jesus died for us all; we were enemies, now called friends as we receive Him and His ways. His ways are good. (Psalm 18:30, Psalm 145:17)

Yes, I’ve been challenged in self-reflection this week after hearing a message at the church I attend while in New Hampshire. It’s good to go to a place (call it church) that brings out the messages from God's Word for us to grow in.

If you read this far, may God bless you. I had no idea where I was going with this post as I started it over a week ago. All I know is my heavy heart has become a bit lighter as I was reminded of what to do to find balance again and put my feet back on solid ground. I want to stand on the solid Rock.

The solid rock provides what’s needed in my life:

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:2 ESV)

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Psalm 18:2 NKJV)

If you need help with balance in your life, remember it starts with standing on a solid rock. If you need help, please send me a message at evapopekJesusrx@gmail.com or go to the website JesusRx.org

I am available to speak at lunches and conferences.

Stay healthy and stay in His Word!

 

 

GOD BLESS AMERICA, LAND THAT I LOVE

 

GOD BLESS AMERICA, LAND THAT I LOVE

HAPPY 250TH BIRTHDAY 

 

I am happy we have church-state separation in our Constitution.

Does true faith need or want support from the government?

When people became followers of Jesus Christ, they gave up so much. They no longer followed the Roman government's pagan ways, which made it difficult for them. The men and women who were involved in telling others about Jesus and starting churches for those converting from paganism and from the church in Rome were persecuted, jailed, and put to death. Can’t stop God, and more followers stood strong so that we can freely worship today. We don’t worship like they did before Jesus Christ came and gave His life. How much easier it is to “just believe He is whom He has sent.” 

Just operating in the precepts of God, a nation thrives. God knows the hearts of the leaders. God waits and watches and acts. His acts aren’t pleasing to many because our acts as a nation aren’t pleasing to Him. Go God. Show me my actions, and where they don’t align with building this land I live in into a place where we show one another respect, allowing our differences to bring out what is good. It’s when our differences bring what is bad to this land we crumble. Again, I said the differences should be building good things.

I don’t want government to tell me who, what, or when I can worship. I don’t even want a “religion” to tell me that! I don’t want to be controlled by the government and rely on it for what I can eat, where I can live, how much I can earn, or whether I can get an education in any field I desire. I want the right to vote.

I am really puzzled at all the Americans who hate America when so many people are flocking here for the freedoms we enjoy. I have yet to hear a true follower of Jesus Christ hate America. Maybe there are some.

 I know there are many who hate the things going on in the government. Actually, anyone in their right mind who doesn’t like the corruption, even among the towns they live in, something must be wrong with them.

The Word of God says I should not discriminate. So, I ask God for help. To love those who differ from me, as I know God loves them enough that He gave Jesus Christ for them, just as He did for me. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Oh, the freedom in Jesus Christ I now have to love others is given to me.

Do I love their actions when they go against everything I know to be good? No. I don’t even like my own actions when they go against what I know is good and pleasing to the Lord.

There are times when I have no idea what I am doing goes against what God would have for me. When I take time with Him in quiet prayer, reading His Word, and joining others who are seeking His ways, I become enlightened and can then walk even more lightly and with more joy as His Spirit leads and guides me. Yes, I know that sounds strange and like a lot of work for some. Life is too busy for some.

I read an article on separation of church and state from www.au.org

It again baffles me:

“The separation of church and state prevents religious beliefs from dictating government policies and protects individual religious expression only so long as it does not harm others. Denying available health care is harmful. While the Constitution protects our right to believe what we choose about certain medical procedures like abortion, fertility treatments or gender-affirming care, it does not allow us to deny care or discriminate against others based on our religious beliefs.

Our government should protect patients’ rights, not facilitate discrimination in our health care system.”

The wording “so long as it does not harm others.” Many believe we shouldn’t dictate what the medical professional does; then, when that medical professional says, “I do believe an abortion harms another person,” that is not accepted? Is it called discrimination?  One is always free to find a doctor who aligns with the health care they are seeking.

I know I have to seek out a doctor that will help me heal as naturally as possible and not be eager to write out prescriptions.

We now expect the medical community to change the birth-given sex of a person? Is that not gender affirming treatment? Years back, there was a saying with a little person's picture on it that said, "God doesn’t make mistakes." And guess what? HE DOESN’T!

I have no idea who is reading this, but be assured you are uniquely and wonderfully made. The enemy of our souls will do anything to confuse us. The only way I can stop confusion from entering my mind, causing depression, sickness, and sadness, is to believe in Jesus, the one God sent to save me. Save me from myself first.

If a doctor believes that doing or providing procedures that try to change a man to a woman or a woman to a man goes way beyond their scope (playing God), can we not accept that? If that person is bleeding out, needing open heart surgery, a broken leg fixed, by all means help that person medically.

I’ve come to the conclusion we are just so unbalanced. I think about all the food items at the grocery store and how damaging many of them are to our health. We buy it, eat it, give it to our friends and family, and then don’t understand why we are seeing a rise in so many medical conditions, from diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, and anxiety.

We can’t pay the bills; sometimes it’s because of overspending. We don’t have a budget; we just see something and buy it, or work so hard so we can go on that vacation. We stress about going to work every day at a job we don’t like, or worry about the chance we could get laid off.

We have no time for family; we rush to get home, get dinner on the table, if parents cook these days. What about the wash? When does that get done?

We complain when businesses shut down, especially if we, a family member, or a friend were employed there.

Do we ever complain that church was closed or there wasn’t a church we could go to? You can pick any religion your heart desires, and search one out that will align with “anything goes” as long as you are happy. I do want to warn you about those “religions”.  God has warned us about those.

You don’t need a relationship with Jesus Christ if you want to rely on people to affirm it’s okay to live any way you want. I liked hearing the pastor, who had lots of marriages in his church, as many couples were coming and they were living together not believing not being married did matter to God.

Did they know what they were doing was not honoring God? Maybe not. They learned, wanted God’s blessing on their relationship, and wanted to get married. Marriage and all its good things are in God’s Word. (JesusRx Prescription for life podcast has four marriage episodes.)

If you do go to a church and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit will teach you truth. Open up that Bible, go to a Bible study where people are able to ask questions, yes, even give an opinion, and seek out that opinion in God's Word.

Too many people are afraid to ask questions. God wants your questions. Anyone who wants to grow in God will seek answers. Often, we receive an answer in His Word or through circumstances. Sometimes we will never know some things, and that’s when your faith will be activated.

 Enjoy your freedom while we have it. I don’t ever want the government to guide my relationship with Jesus. I pray you don’t need the government to ever feed you or house you, but lean on the everlasting arms of Jesus. Yes, your choices will dictate many things in your life. The best choice I have ever made was to follow Jesus and allow God's guidance along this path of life.

This life will end here, but I will live eternally with God. Praying you will live eternally with God, believing His love for you is so great He gave Jesus, your way, truth, and life to know Him. Turn to Him; He waits to bring wholeness. Forgiveness is always waiting for you.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay in His Word!

Eva

evapopekjesusrx@gmail.com

Program begins monthly: Beyond Medication: Lifestyle Changes For Whole Health In 90 Days.