Here is a battle we all face, from time to time.
(Psa 35:1) A Psalm of David. O Jehovah, contend with those who strive against me; fight those who fight against me.
(Psa 35:2) Take hold of a shield and buckler, and arise as my help.
(Psa 35:3) Draw out the spear and close ranks to meet my pursuers; say to my soul, I am your salvation.
(Psa 35:4) Let those who seek my soul be ashamed and disgraced; let them be turned back and brought to confusion, those who plot evil to me.
(Psa 35:5) Let them be as chaff before the wind, and the Angel of Jehovah driving away.
(Psa 35:6) Let their way be dark and slippery, and the Angel of Jehovah their pursuer.
(Psa 35:7) For they have hidden their pit-net for me without cause; without cause they have dug for my soul.
(Psa 35:
Let destruction come on him; he will not know; and let his net which he concealed catch him; let him fall in it, into destruction.
(Psa 35:9) And my soul shall be joyful in Jehovah; it will rejoice in His salvation.
(Psa 35:10) All my bones shall say: O Jehovah, who is like You, who delivers the poor from those stronger than he; yes, the poor and needy from his plunderer?
(Psa 35:11) Witnesses of violence rise up; they asked me what I did not know;
(Psa 35:12) they rewarded me evil for good, bereaving my soul.
(Psa 35:13) But in their sickness, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fastings; and my prayer returned to my bosom.
(Psa 35:14) I walked as a friend, as to my brother; as one who mourns a mother, I was bowed down mourning.
(Psa 35:15) But they rejoiced in my limping; and assembling the defamers assembled themselves against me; and I did not know; they tore and were not silent;
(Psa 35:16) with the ungodly they were mockers for a cake, gnashing their teeth on me.
(Psa 35:17) O Lord, how long will You look on? Draw back my soul from their desolations, my only one from the lions.
(Psa 35:18) I will thank You in the great assembly, and I will praise You among a mighty people.
(Psa 35:19) Let not my lying enemies rejoice over me; do not let those who hate me without cause wink the eye.
(Psa 35:20) For they do not speak peace; but they devise deceitful things against the quiet ones of the earth.
(Psa 35:21) And they open their mouth wide against me; they say, Aha! Aha! Our eyes have seen.
(Psa 35:22) You have seen, O Jehovah; do not keep silence, O Lord, do not be far from me.
(Psa 35:23) Stir Yourself and awaken to my judgment, to my cause, my God and my Lord.
(Psa 35:24) Judge me, O Jehovah my God, according to Your righteousness; and do not let them rejoice over me.
(Psa 35:25) Let them not say in their hearts, Aha! Our soul! Let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
(Psa 35:26) Let them be ashamed and be confounded together, the ones who rejoice at my evil; let them be clothed with shame and dishonor, the ones who magnify themselves against me.
(Psa 35:27) Let those who delight in my justification shout and rejoice; and they shall say without ceasing, Jehovah be magnified, delighting in the peace of His servant.
(Psa 35:28) And my tongue will speak of Your righteousness and of Your praise all the day.
When those around us, see the faith and truths taught here, whoowee, watch out, the fiery darts are going to come flying. I've gone through this several times through the years, but here lately, I don't know what is going on.
(Tit 2:14) who gave Himself on our behalf, "that He might redeem us from all lawlessness and purify a special people for Himself," zealous of good works. Psa. 130:8; Eze. 37:23; Deut. 14:2
(1Pe 2:7) Then to you who believe belongs the preciousness. But to disobeying ones, He is the "Stone which those building rejected; this One became the Head of the Corner," Psa. 118:22
(1Pe 2:
and a Stone-of-stumbling, and a Rock-of-offense" to the ones stumbling, being disobedient to the Word, to which they were also appointed. Isa. 8:14
(1Pe 2:9) But you are "an elect race," "a royal priesthood," "a holy nation," "a people for possession," so that "you may openly speak of the virtues" of the One who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; LXX-Ex. 23:22; MT-Ex. 19:5, 6
To be honest with you, if I was accepted for the belief given while in this world, it could not be the right belief. For this reason, it is good to suffer for His name sake.
God bless,
Gary