{"id":174,"date":"2012-06-23T13:13:37","date_gmt":"2012-06-23T18:13:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/?p=174"},"modified":"2012-06-23T13:13:37","modified_gmt":"2012-06-23T18:13:37","slug":"fighting-frostbite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/?p=174","title":{"rendered":"Fighting Frostbite"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cAnd because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.\u201d<\/em> Matthew 24:12 KJV<\/p>\n

This week another video went viral on You Tube<\/em>. This one is 10 minutes and 9 seconds of middle school students cruelly and profanely taunting the bus monitor, an adult, a grandmother, and apparently a gentle and kind woman. It\u2019s difficult to watch. In fact, I did not make it through the entire thing.<\/p>\n

It seems everywhere we look today we see violence, cruelty and hatred in one form or another. It\u2019s expressed in situations such as the guy who cuts you off in traffic and shoots you a vulgar gesture as if it were your fault. It\u2019s demonstrated in torment and torture to children and creatures who are wholly defenseless and wholly dependent on the milk of human kindness. It manifests in thievery and murder. It\u2019s certainly expressed in Karen Klein\u2019s experience, documented on a child\u2019s cell phone.<\/p>\n

We rightfully observe such goings on with incredulity and outrage. We are stunned by what is happening to our American society. Some years ago the Fields Museum in Chicago hosted an outstanding exhibit on persecution, specifically on the events immediately preceding Germany\u2019s Final Solution. The exhibit concluded with an exhortation to watch for early warning signs of that same spirit, such as, mocking and discrimination. Warning signs clearly manifested in the taunts of those middle school children.<\/p>\n

You can visit the Holocaust Museum in Dallas today and listen to recorded testimonies of survivors (one after another after another), all of whom were caught by surprise at the demonic juggernaut that fell upon them, suddenly and frightfully. Is it any wonder the most popular Christian fiction immerses readers in better times and places \u2013 Little House on the Prairie<\/em> times and Andy Griffith Show<\/em> places? Community was strong and neighbors looked out for one another. Children respected adults.<\/p>\n

John the Apostle proclaimed, \u201cTherefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.\u201d (Revelation 12:12) It\u2019s a really good time to be seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, yes? (Ephesians 2:6) Moreover, it\u2019s pretty clear whose agenda we are dealing with in the earth, and it\u2019s not human.<\/p>\n

Perhaps there is no other circumstance to which 2 Corinthians 10:4 is more applicable. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal (because our enemy is never a man, woman or child). Our weapons are mighty. They\u00a0pull down strongholds. There is no need to hide, no need to fear. We are armed and dangerous!<\/p>\n

What are these weapons? Love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8) Where sin abounds, grace much more abounds. (Romans 5:20) By mercy and truth iniquity is purged. (Proverbs 16:6) A soft answer turns away wrath. (Proverbs 15:1)<\/p>\n

The devil will have his day until he is forever banished to the lake of fire, along with all who consort with him. It\u2019s our job to hold up the light that dispels the darkness. To expose the works of the enemy, as they were exposed at Nuremburg. Even as they were exposed after the bullying of teenagers who should have known better. How many souls might we pull back from the brink if we challenge the darkness? \u201cDeliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter!\u201d (Proverbs 24:11) Let whosoever will repent and be saved. Let him who is evil be evil still.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cAnd because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.\u201d Matthew 24:12 KJV This week another video went viral on You Tube. This one is 10 minutes and 9 seconds of middle school students cruelly and profanely taunting … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8Mo02-2O","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":459,"url":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/?p=459","url_meta":{"origin":174,"position":0},"title":"Lost In Translation","author":"lsimonds","date":"April 1, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cIt is the Spirit Who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit and they are life.\u201d John 6:63 John Steinbeck is credited with having said words take on flavors and aromas like butter in the refrigerator. Chances are if you\u2019ve been around\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "2015"","block_context":{"text":"2015","link":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/?cat=13"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":566,"url":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/?p=566","url_meta":{"origin":174,"position":1},"title":"An Intercession","author":"lsimonds","date":"September 1, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cFor You formed my inward parts. You covered me in my mother\u2019s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully\u00a0and\u00a0wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and\u00a0that\u00a0my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret and skillfully wrought in the lowest\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "2016"","block_context":{"text":"2016","link":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/?cat=16"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1168,"url":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/?p=1168","url_meta":{"origin":174,"position":2},"title":"An Intercession","author":"lsimonds","date":"January 25, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"The essay below was originally published in September 2016. \u201cFor You formed my inward parts. You covered me in my mother\u2019s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully\u00a0and\u00a0wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and\u00a0that\u00a0my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "2019"","block_context":{"text":"2019","link":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/?cat=19"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":453,"url":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/?p=453","url_meta":{"origin":174,"position":3},"title":"Knock Yourself Out","author":"lsimonds","date":"March 1, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cKeep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you.\u201d Matthew 7:7 Amplified Bible This is a luxurious (for me) post in which I unload about writing. To begin with, writing is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "2015"","block_context":{"text":"2015","link":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/?cat=13"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":388,"url":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/?p=388","url_meta":{"origin":174,"position":4},"title":"Happily Ever After","author":"lsimonds","date":"June 30, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cTherefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.\u201d Isaiah 51:11 KJV I have a day job: I work for a company that supplies\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "2014"","block_context":{"text":"2014","link":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/?cat=11"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":419,"url":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/?p=419","url_meta":{"origin":174,"position":5},"title":"Flood Abatement","author":"lsimonds","date":"October 31, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cSo shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.\u201d Isaiah 59:19 In 1997 the spring melt swelled the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "2014"","block_context":{"text":"2014","link":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/?cat=11"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=174"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":175,"href":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174\/revisions\/175"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=174"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=174"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/melissakaysimonds.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=174"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}