Speaking the truth in love!

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” Eph. 4:15

Yesterday I was shocked, saddened, angry, disappointed and flooded with so many emotions. I hear in my spirit “He who sits in the heavens laughs;” Why would God laugh at yesterday’s events? “Three times in the Book of Psalms (Ps. 2:4; 37:13; 59:8) we read that God shall laugh. The word “laugh” does not mean what we usually think of today as laughing with “joy” or “making a joke of.” It always means, “to hold in derision — to mock or to scorn.”¹ God holds nations in derision, or “laughs,” at their feeble plans. He never mocks or laughs at sin.

Why the big noise, nations? Why the mean plots, peoples?
Earth-leaders push for position, Demagogues and delegates meet for summit talks,
The God-deniers, the Messiah-defiers: “Let’s get free of God! Cast loose from Messiah!” Heaven-throned God breaks out laughing. At first he’s amused at their presumption; Then he gets good and angry. Furiously, he shuts them up: “Don’t you know there’s a King in Zion? A coronation banquet Is spread for him on the holy summit.”
Ps. 2:4 The Message (MSG)

Like many, much of my day was spent watching the unfolding chaos, and sending out tweets to encourage everyone to look to the Lord at this time. For a number of years, my heart has been burdened by events and attitudes I see unfolding in the United States. We are a divided nation, and a divided nation cannot stand. In the Gospel of Mk. 3:25, Jesus states, “And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand:” The chaos and violence that took place at our nation’s capitol should be an awakening for each one of us. This nation needs healing. A return to righteousness and authentic Christianity!

What people need today is truth. Now is not the time to point fingers or shift blame. It’s way to easy to do this by rationalizing yesterday’s events, instead of looking within at the source of contention (Jm. 5:1). Where did we fall short as a nation and the church? Rationalizing what happened will not bring change. Four people died and more could have, but by the grace of God didn’t.

Discerning the times is necessary to move forward. We all want free and fair elections. However, irregularities are bound to happen. Sadly a group of angry people stormed the capitol demanding what they want with no consideration of what the outcome would be. Ongoing divisiveness, political rhetoric, finger pointing, and judging others all led to yesterday’s events. It’s time to stop stoking these fires.

Jesus said in the gospel, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). Jesus Christ is the supreme ruler over all things. He is the Creator, the Redeemer and the Sustainer of all life. As Christians, we are commanded to love God and love others. The greatest commandments written to the church (Matt. 22:36-40).

It’s been long time to awaken from our slumber because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of God’s law. We are instructed to “put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light, behave decently as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy” (Rom. 13:10-13).

dissension: : DISAGREEMENT especially : partisan and contentious quarreling²

The thing about drunkenness and dissension is that we can be drunk with envy, strife, jealousy, all leading to contentious quarreling. What happened yesterday has been brewing for sometime. Seeds of discord will never lead to a righteous outcome! Sowing discord is one of the seven things God hates! Romans 16:17 admonishes the church to “keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.”

And now consider this. You know well the times you are living in. It is time for you to wake up and see what is right before your eyes: for salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. ¹²The darkness of night is dissolving as dawn’s light draws near, so walk out on your old dark life and put on the armor of light. ¹³May we all act as good and respectable people, living today the same way as we will in the day of His coming. Do not fall into patterns of dark living: wild partying, drunkenness, sexual depravity, decadent gratification, quarreling, and jealousy.
Rom. 13:10-13 The Voice)

It’s time to open our eyes and ears to see, hear and listen to what the Lord is saying. “For fools speak folly, their hearts are bent on evil: They practice ungodliness and spread error concerning the Lord: the hungry they leave empty. Many people have been left empty without knowledge of the Lord” (Is. 32:6).

Continuing to push false narratives won’t change things. Only truth spoken in love will! Where sin abounds, grace abounds even more! The fruit of righteousness is peace. (Is. 32:17)

When a society does not acknowledge God and works to remove Him from the public discourse of everyday life, we will be left alone. We are limited to our own resources. Let’s seek the Lord in repentance. The time has come for Judgment to begin in the house of the Lord first (1 Pet. 4:17). Sadly, in some ways Christians have been a part of sowing the discord among brethren (Pro. 6:19).

“Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” (Col. 3:14)

I encourage each and every one to lift of up petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving for all people and all those in authority. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

In His Service,

Minister A. Francine Green

Note:

**Above image is from the Associated Press