Too Much Drama; Too Much Strife

A perverse person spreads strife,
    and a whisperer separates close friends.
The violent entice their neighbors,
    and lead them in a way that is not good.
                Proverbs 16:28-29

Somewhere, somehow, we must take a stand and protect the innocent from slander. There is so much slander, so much aloneness in this world, and so much depression resulting from it. It often comes from one source: the ego or maybe it would be more accurate to say the devil who resides within us. Those in whom the Spirit of Christ does not reside often attack their neighbors; their friends; their enemies unjustly, causing much chaos, pain, and sorrow. Standing idly by because you do not want to become involved or become the next target is not all that helpful. Rather, as most of us confess on Sunday mornings, we end up sinning by what we have not done; by not supporting and helping our neighbor in need. That is not to say that we should not confront sin. We should not support sin. We do need to confront those who would entice others in a way that is not good even while we support and protect those who are falsely accused. 

We teach our children in Sunday School and in Confirmation classes that the eighth commandment; "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." We also teach them as Luther taught that this means: "We should fear and love God so that we do not betray, slander, lie or gossip about our neighbors, but defend them, speak well of them and put the most charitable construction on all that they do." How soon we forget what we have learned!

May God help us to love our neighbors and not cause them to suffer any form of anguish because of our actions or inactions.

God's Peace - Pr. J 

1 Peter 2:1-3 Crave Spiritual Milk

1 Peter 2:1-3


Arlene and Joe have fed multitudes with spiritual
milk for years with word, song, and deeds....

Babies can be pretty focused on getting what they want. When they are hungry they cry until they get the milk that they desire and which will nourish them. There is very little that can stop their yearning. We might rock them and they might quiet down for a bit; but, it won't be long before they once again let us know that they are hungry.

Christians should be so focused in our desire for spiritual milk. Give yourself a break and desire that which is good for your soul setting set aside malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander, which will lead you to waste away.

Drink the spiritual milk that the Lord has provided and see that the Lord is good.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Col 3 Be Kind

Colossians 3 NIV

Compassion, kindness, gentleness,
patience....

A friend recently tried to do a favor for someone; even though he had no clue as to who it was that he was trying to help. He was just trying to do the right thing. He was trying to help someone in need. For trying to do the right thing he was majorly disrespected. We live in a world where people can really be ugly to others even when they are being served with the best of intentions by others. Compassion, kindness, gentleness, patience are often greeted with anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language. I am confident that this will not stop this friend from doing the right thing in the future nor should it ever stop us from living life according to the love and peace that we have received in Christ.

St. Paul reminds us that whatever we do we should do at it with all our hearts, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. He reminds us to say and do all that we can to promote peace among us; to respect and to love one another. Do not let the haters in this world stop you from living life in Christ, pray for them. And, whatever you do, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Eph 6:10-24 News or Slander?

Ephesians 6:10-24 NIV
I tried to watch the news last night. I don't do that very often. I find that it is much easier for me to read the headlines online without all the editorials than to watch it on television. Broadcast news is now something different than what it was even a couple of decades ago. It appears to be more opinion than truth - a lot of negative opinion - even slander! It is bad enough that so much sin is committed; but, to hear people demonized to such an extent gets more than a bit tiring. There is enough trouble in the world without the news media attacking individuals so judgmentally and aggressively and usually it is to suit their own political purposes or egos.

St. Paul wrote "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (vs 12)

Rather than constantly attack others, I would find it a bit refreshing if we spent a little time praying for them. It might be a bit more fruitful to pray that the evil one have no power over them. St. Paul reminds us that in order fight this battle we are to put on the full armor of God. God's armor does not include ego or slander. When injustice is done we must certainly speak the truth in love. But, we ought not respond to injustice with more injustice. Slander is a grave injustice. It would be good if news reporters would just report the truth and then the world would know exactly what we are really battling.

We are not fighting mere humans. We stand against the powers of a very dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. We cannot win the battle by our own strength. Without the full of armor of God; without God, we can do nothing. Therefore; pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Keep alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray that whenever we speak, words may be given us so that we will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel. Pray that we will all speak the truth in love. Pray also for the world's news reporters that they might also speak only the truth!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Psalm 64 - Verbal Attacks, Gossip

Verbal attacks, gossip, bitter words are devastating to the one who is being the target.  Secretly aimed, behind one's back, like a sharp arrow, they are meant to destroy.  They can do real damage; psychological, spiritual and ultimately can even lead to physical destruction.

Thanks be to God, that it is He who defends the innocent.  He will not allow those who spend their lives trying to defame others to make themselves look good, to justify themselves. He will make the accuser stumble over their own tongues.  They will be wounded by the words of their own lips so that the evil that they unjustly plotted will cause them to stumble and their cohorts will flee in fear that they will fall with them. 

The accuser shall fall and "The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him. And all the upright in heart shall glory." (Psalm 64:10 NIV)

May God defend us from the unrighteous tongues of those who would accuse His children falsely, slander His children unjustly, gossip so as to destroy us. May He bless His children with peace in the midst of these attacks.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Job 15 - Politics and Wisdom

Job's friend, Eliphaz, responds to Job.  He pretty much tells him that he is arrogant, thinking that he is wise, when there are men that are much wiser than he.

The story goes on with Job's friend accusing him, attacking him.  It is pretty amazing that anyone would do this to an enemy, let alone a friend.  But, is that not what we do?  Is that not what humanity does? That is, man attacks man.  Who is wise?

I have been watching more news lately than usual.  It just amazes me that instead of addressing issues.  Instead of informing voters what a politician stands for, politicians accuse their opponents, informing us all of what they think their opponents stand for.  There is very little truth in any of it. Who can possibly figure out the truth with so much slander be slung? Way too much slander, way too many false accusations.  This is the wisdom of the age:  to fund-raise so politicians can tell lies to the public rather than raise funds to help the country feed it's people, rather than to help small businesses, teachers, children.  Would it not be wiser to spend less money on slander and tearing down one's opponent and use the finances to help a world in need instead?  How about if the candidates had to tithe the campaign funds they raised to the national treasury?  The scandal of it all is that we continue to contribute to this poor stewardship.  We continue to support a system that allows candidates to run on a platform to help the people while they are slandering their opponent and using funds that could genuinely help the nation for their own agendas. 

One (plus) out of every three years spent in campaigning rather than doing the jobs they were elected to do doesn't sound that wise to me.

It would just be really nice if in our election processes, there would be less arrogance and less slander of one another and not just within the presidential campaign, all of them.  BTW - I did have a local politician stop by the other day to let me know where he stood as candidate.  He did this without slandering his opponent, rather he spoke quite highly of him.  I know his opponent and neither of them have slandered the other.  This is a refreshing break!  It is quite wise of both of them!

I'll try to keep the news off today...

God's Peace - Judy