[ampaterry]

I believe you are right, Jack. Over the centuries, God has indeed judged His people and removed them from their promised land - but it was a temporary punishment. I do not anticipate such to happen again -

For today, a quote from the book The Grace of Giving, written by Stephen Olford:

“In the days of the American Revolutionary War there lived at Ephrata, Pennsylvania, a Baptist pastor by the name of Peter Miller who enjoyed the friendship of General Washington. There also dwelt in that town one Michael Wittman, an evil-minded man who did all in his power to abuse and oppose this pastor. One day Michael Wittman was involved in treason and was arrested and sentenced to death. The old preacher started out on foot and walked the whole seventy miles to Philadelphia to plead for this man's life. He was admitted into Washington's presence and at once begged for the life of the traitor. Washington said, "No, Peter, I cannot grant you the life of your friend." The preacher exclaimed, "My friend, he is the bitterest enemy I have." Washington cried, "What? You've walked seventy miles to save the life of an enemy? That puts the matter in a different light. I will grant the pardon." And he did. And Peter Miller took Michael Wittman from the very shadow of death back to his own home in Ephrata -- no longer as an enemy, but as a friend.”

How many of us would walk 70 miles to save the life of an enemy that deserved death? I think most people would never dream of such a thing. I spoke to a lady who was taking a CPR class, and when they were discussing resuscitation of a drowning victim, she said that several professed Christians in the group said that they would do nothing to resuscitate a homosexual who had drowned. In fact, they said, if they were there WHILE the person was drowning, they would do nothing to save them from their fate. What a horrible reflection on ALL of us, that someone with that attitude would claim to be a Christian! Christ would certainly point out this person’s sinful ways, but he would not approve of us standing by and letting them die in their sins, assuring an eternity of separation from him!

Romans 12:19-21 (KJV);
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

May God bless each one of us, and forgive the hardness of our hearts at times -