Category: Justice

God Knows and Cares

I am grateful for your detailed attention!

“Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Luke 12:6-7

Me: Good afternoon, Father!

Abba: Good afternoon, Jon!

Me: The idea of the surveillance state with enough cameras and data centers to store everything about everyone is of great concern. But having You know every detail is a great comfort, for Your very nature is love and no injustice ever proceeds from you!

Abba: Yes, and I should have proven my forgiveness to you:

6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Romans 8

Me: I am always awed at Your forgiveness and such great cost to Yourself!

Yet on the government surveillance front, there is this, which I seem to continually struggle with:


1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

Romans 13

History is littered with tyrannical regimes which favored one group over others, even to carrying out genocide. It seems AI powered identification of everyone is risky business. I believe it is against the spirit of the fourth amendment to the Constitution for unreasonable searches. What could be more intrusive than monitoring everywhere you go and every thing you buy and everyone you associate with?

11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. 12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. 15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.

Revelation 13

This passage in Revelation speaks of a “beast” who is numbered (counted?) as a man with authority to prevent the commerce that is necessary to daily life unless he receives the worship that is due only to You. So, to me, it seems the building of the surveillance state is laying the groundwork for man carrying out the purposes of Satan.

Abba: Verse 14 says, “And he deceives”. That means, as is his usual restraint (from Me) his plans must be accepted by the ones implementing them. This usually happens because they think there is something in it for their own purposes.

Me: We see many signs of injustice already. I am thinking of tax money being used to subsidize abortion providers under the heading of “health care”. The courts used to attack those who provide energy to run transportation and the economy, because the existing laws don’t agree with the plaintiff’s position. On and on it goes.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Birkenau Auschwitz Concentration Camp

How do we properly address these things? I no longer have any confidence in elections to improve things. Surely, not over the long term (if there is a long term).

Abba: These are valid concerns. I would not deny that they are. However, considering these things, read Romans 8 in its entirety and take it to heart.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8

To the end, the hairs on your head will not cease to be numbered by Me.

Me: Thank You Father for that comforting perspective! I love You! Your will be done!

Abba: You are welcome! I love you!

Call to a Remnant

I am grateful for the planting season!

Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

Ecclesiastes 8:11 NKJV

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9 NKJV

And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”

Mark 10:26-27 NKJV

Moreover I saw under the sun:

In the place of judgment,
Wickedness was there;
And in the place of righteousness,
Iniquity was there.

 I said in my heart,

“God shall judge the righteous and the wicked,
For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”

Ecclesiastes 3:16-17

Good morning, Father!

Abba: Good morning, Jon!

Me: In our news, we hear of the arrest of some judges. The populace is divided as to whether their activities are justified, though they have violated the law. It seems the heart of the verse penned by King Solomon in Ecclesiastes is made manifest in our day, as I assume it was in his.

Judges appointed under more “liberal” administrations seem to have difficulty recognizing the trouble associated with continuing as they have been, now that the pendulum is swinging back the other way. I hear some voices decrying that the arrests are evil retribution and other voices crying that there has to be some way to deal with “activist” judges and hoping for more of the same. I am grateful that You are patient in Your judgment, giving us time for repentance (should we so choose). I pray that more will take stock of how far we fall short, and seek Your favor and Your truth.

Abba: There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. (Proverbs 16:25) There was a general societal understanding of right and wrong for a time in your nation’s history. Only a vestige of such understanding remains, a shadow left behind by those who have followed Me. It was left with their children, primarily by example, but delivered without clear sight that these accepted norms could only firmly stand when darkness in individual (yielded) hearts is banished by illumination by My Holy Spirit. As it now stands, there is incessant arguing to twist laws written to make society function well for all. Rather than justice, there is mere justification.

… having a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away.

2 Timothy 3:5

Without My sustaining power, under the degrading influence of sin, even truth once known will be forgotten. The judgements of men are imperfect for the truth does not reside in them naturally.

Jesus said to him, I AM the way, the TRUTH, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

John 14:6

Me: Father, poll results to the question, “Would you consider yourself a ‘born-again’ or evangelical Christian?” was nearly the same in 2022 (33%) as in 1992 (36%). This is likely only a margin-of-error sized change in the past thirty years. Also, according to Gallup, in the same period, the percentage of people who think the Bible consists mostly of “fables and legends” has doubled (from 14% to 29%). These trends make me wonder, “How many true believers are there?” and “What do those who consider themselves ‘born-again’ base that assessment on?”.

Abba: Consider this teaching of Jesus:

Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Matthew 7:13-14

There are many examples in scripture of My call being answered by a mere remnant of those who should have responded. I can empower the faithful to do great things.

In that day the Lord of hosts will be
For a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty
To the remnant of His people,
For a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment,
And for strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

Isaiah 28:5:6

(Though the above interjection for the remnant, all of Isaiah 28 bears on these questions, on the failure of priest, prophet, of pride and debauchery and on the painstaking process of growth for those who would seek God and do better. The passage culminates in the promise of the Savior.)

King Saul’s son Jonathan, speaking to his armor bearer, said,

“Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.”

1 Samuel 14:6 (emphasis, mine)

As it was for Jonathan on that day, so it is for those committed to the narrow way, to those who enter by the narrow gate today.

Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door (gate) of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.  The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

John 10:7-10

Me: Thank You Father! I love You!

Abba: You are welcome, Jon! I love you!

Gardening Update:

Aerial Photo of concrete-covered lot area south of barn.

The above (admittedly grainy) satellite photo is of the broken concrete south of the barn that covered an old animal-lot area there. The concrete turned out to be about six inches thick. Fortunately, none of this concrete had any reinforcement in it. The bottom-left section held the remains of dirt and more concrete removed from an old cesspool that was taken out near the house when the septic system was installed (to meet code) prior to our purchase of the property. Four feet of extra dirt and broken concrete was on top of the underlying concrete slab. This month, twelve dump-truck loads of concrete were hauled away and four truckloads of Iowa “black dirt” were hauled in to create 3000 more square feet of potential garden.

Added Garden Area

The photo above was taken today, showing what the area looks like after a half-day of tiller work to break up the pavement-like packing that resulted from the tracks of the skid loaders spreading and leveling the fill dirt. Give this four or five years of development and several loads of compost, and who knows? Maybe it will be a garden after all! The structure at the bottom right is the end of an old concrete feed bunker that stretches the entire 50-foot length. We left it there as a retaining wall.

Divide and Conquer

Lady Justice, modeled on the Greek Goddess Themis, who was regarded as the personification of justice, has been depicted as blindfolded since the 16th century. Her blindfold represents impartiality. I believe this concept has found its way into the judicial systems of many societies because it is intrinsic to the character and nature of God and we are made in His image. Therefore, we have within us the same understanding of the rightness of impartiality in judgement. Listen to Peter:

Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

Acts 10:34-35

What American is unfamiliar with at least the beginning of the Declaration of Independence? Here too, the concept of equality is spelled out.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Second Paragraph of the Declaration of Independence

The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States was ratified in 1868, six years after the end of the American Civil War. The amendment clarified who is a citizen. Clearly the intent was to circumvent discrimination against former slaves. Two years prior, the Civil Rights Act of 1866 declared all persons born in the United States to be citizens, “without distinction of race or color, or previous condition of slavery or involuntary servitude”. Note, however, there is nothing in the language of the Fourteenth Amendment that identifies any class of persons.

All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Fourteenth Amendment, Section 1

Taxonomy is the formalization of a system of classification. Its very purpose is to organize living organisms by identifiable differences. The process has been applied to humans. There are at least eight levels: Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species. The graphic below is a partial illustration. The quotations above are all aimed at the tip of the inverted pyramid – Man (the species). That is, all of us.

Partial Classification of Man (my graphic)

The Civil Rights Act of 1964, continued with the approach of the Civil Rights Act of 1886. The newer act forbade discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin. It had the effect of creating “protected classes” of people. These acts came about because of general recognition of discrimination against some by business owners, landlords, even government officials, to name a few examples.

Additional legislation has been expanding “protected classes” ever since. Race, color, sex, religion, and national origin have been joined by disability/handicap, familial status, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, and veteran status.

These additional classifications amount to subspecies branching out under the point of the taxonomic pyramid which have turned the figure into a pyramid resting on the roots of diversity.

It seems to me our forefathers had more wisdom than our later selves. The act of naming these subspecies in the law and making protected classes of them is antithetical to equal protection under the law. We did not need protected classes. We needed, and still need, equal protection under the law. It does not come by dividing us.

The Merriam Webster definition of “divide and conquer”: [Strategy] to make a group of people disagree and fight with one another so that they will not join together against one.

These problems are not accidental.

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