The Christian's view of the future determines how he lives, plans, and works in the present for the future. Even during Israel's captivity under Babylonian rule, the nation's darkest hour, The people were told to plan and build for the future: "Build houses and live in them, and plant gardens, and eat their produce. Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that the may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease...For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope." God's words seemed contrary to what the people saw all around them. Destruction and captivity awaited the nation, yet God commanded them to prepare for the future. In spite of every pessimistic view, God wanted the people's desires and hopes to future-directed. Built for what will be...A preoccupation with defeat brings defeat by default."
Excerpts from Gary DeMar's Whoever Controls The Schools... pg. 47
