Playing with Fire… Time to Vote!
James 3:5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!
James 3:8-10 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.
These things ought not to be this way… AMEN!
But how can they not be this way?
Matthew 15:18 the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart,
We don’t have a speech problem, we have heart problem!
Joshua 24:15 If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve:
Left to our own nature, we will serve ourselves… because we know… it is not the servant that gets to rule the service, but the Ruler… the one with the power of life and death – prosperity or prison – heaven or hell.
In the secret places of my soul, I don’t want to be ruled. I want to RULE! I don’t want to obey, I want to RULE! I don’t want to suffer, I want to RULE!
Choose for yourselves today…
I am a child of God! I have chosen my King! But… everyday all day long, I must CHOOSE to serve Him. I must choose to SERVE Him. And He commands me to LOVE! So, I must serve Him with love.
Not the “show” of love we all have learned to wear… no-no… the real “performance” of true and truthful love…
Matthew 5:43-47 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
I’m a Jesus Freak and I fight myself everyday! My flesh cries to be given EVERY OPPORTUNITY it graves!
Galatians 5:13-14 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
My choice… my vote… counts. If I pursue (love) myself, I will have lots and lots of company – most likely I will be among the majority!
Luke 6:32-34 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount.
My choice… my vote… counts. But it also has consequences – long-term effects with short-term satisfaction.
Galatians 5:15 if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
The day after always comes…
Our country’s election is just days away from being another one for the history books. I pray that the fire of divisiveness that has been roaring throughout (caused by many unloving tongues) will not leave behind damage that can never be healed… but the chances it will (and already has) is almost certain.
No one can tame the tongue… but we can change the ruler of our heart…
Let us no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ (Ephesians 4:14-15)
Let us choose… let us VOTE to serve the Lord.
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible