Bible Study Notes

Every Monday I meet with about twelve persons to try and understand what is written in the Bible. At this point, I feel like baby trying to crawl. I am told that eventually, I may begin to take baby steps. At this point it is still confusing with many surprises. Yesterday, some one mentioned how nations have fallen after surviving around two-hundred years. The United States is a bit over two-hundred years so I am curious if our nation will follow the path of so many other great nations. Zechariah 1, 15,  "I am exceedingly angry with complacent nations."

One of the students in class read us the ten steps in the growth and fall of a nation from her smart phone.

Bondage to spiritual faith; 

Spiritual faith to great courage; 

great courage to liberty; 

liberty to abundance; 

abundance to selfishness; 

selfishness to complacency; 

complacency to apathy; 

apathy to moral decay; 

moral decay to dependence;

 and dependence back to bondage.

As I listened to the steps I thought that we are probably in the apathy to moral decay segment. It seems to me that there is no respect for anyone in this day and age. Words that were taboo when I was growing up seem to be common place today. Sometimes I get the feeling that selfishness has taken over and as long as people are selfish the thought is only of self and no thought is given to anyone else.

I do know many persons (older) who still believe in honesty, helping the needy and feeding the poor but I also know persons who could care less about anyone other than themselves.(younger) The one thing that seems to bring people together is a national tragedy. Yet, I see selfishness in reporters of the news, politics, sports, and in movie stars. In Zechariah 1, 3-15,  "Return to me says the Lord of Hosts and I will return to you."

Another person in class brought up the fact that children of one generation are not being taught how to have responsibility for their actions. When that generation grows up they cannot teach what they have not learned to their children and the downward cycle continues. I notice in our court system where it seems that the more money an accused has, the better the chances of getting off. When I was younger I believed that when one swore on the Bible, anything coming out of the person mouth would be true. Now it seems like such a farce.

In  Zechariah 4,6 the passage seems quite relevant at this time. "Not by an army nor by might but by my spirit, says the Lord of Hosts." My understanding is that there will be no peace, worldwide or at home, until everyone returns to God. The way things are going, I don't believe it will happen in my life time! It seems like such an impossibility but maybe one person at a time, learning and trying, something great can be accomplished.