The True Nature of Things

There are wars and rumors of wars in this world. Do you think this is a sign? I mean, that isn’t the only sign, mind you. I certainly see. So many people out there are turning against each other, speaking hate and division. Christians are judging and condemning others, against those very ones that God created, right, wrong or indifferent. We speak not out of love, but out of our own sense of arrogance and righteousness, which by the way, we have no right to. ******************************************* Matthew 24: 6-13: “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” ********************************************* Just look at all of the judgment and condemnation on social media. There are Christians and those who claim to be Christians on both sides of the political fence and still we defame, slander and spread half-truths out of ignorance and mob mentality. We, including our leaders, act and speak like hateful children fighting over a toy. Each wants to play king of the hill, to be on top. Neither caring about the masses of people who blindly follow with little to no true knowledge of the issues. The true issues are buried, while the true agenda is not even really hidden in rhetoric. Hate speech. Division. Defiance of our laws. Discord. Lies. Condemnation. Slander. Racism. Greed. Immorality. All of it swirling around for the discerning person to see, and yet, it is ignored because someone claims to wear the name tag ‘Christian’. ***************************************** Do you know what a Christian, a real Christian looks like… and is supposed to act like? Sure, we all stumble into the muck and mire of the world from time to time but we don’t LIVE there like pigs. We don’t wallow there being arrogant in our sense of superiority…. ********************************** Listen with a discerning heart. A true Christian heart. ******************************** James 2:9-10: “But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.” ********************************* James 2:12-13: “So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” ********************************* James 3:2: “For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.” **************************** James 3:6-9: “How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire. And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. …. but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.” **************************** James 3:16-18: “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” ****************************** Don’t spread it. Dread it. It is a sign of the times. The worldly poison that we swallow causes us to become like them. Go back to the bible. Remember what we do, what we put out there in the world is either with love or with hate. We cannot have both in our hearts and belong to God. ****************************** James 4:11-12: “Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?” ************************** Love. Gentle correction in love. Hate is not the answer.