FOMENTING

 

Write From My Heart

May 28, 2021

 

FOMENTING  to promote the growth or development of; rouse; incite

 

Isaiah 59:1-4 and 12-15 (NIV)  Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.  But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters wicked things. No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case with integrity. They rely on empty arguments and speak lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to evil. … For our offenses are many in your sight, and our sins testify against us. Our offenses are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities: rebellion and treachery against the LORD, turning our backs on our God, fomenting oppression and revolt, uttering lies our hearts have conceived. So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice.

 

Ponder this: The prophet Isaiah spoke these words some 2,700+ years ago yet his warning is just as relevant as if it were the news headlines for today. If you are guilty of skimming through the above passage, this is your opportunity to stop and read it again—this time carefully, word for word, considering with each line how it applies to our own Nation. The tragedy is that our offenses are always with us. As long as we are content to allow corruption to go unchecked, to “hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil,” then we are essentially turning our back on the God of righteousness. Worse, we compound our offenses and iniquities by promoting their growth and development—again, by lack of willingness to condemn wrong where it exists. We customize truth to suit our own needs and desires—uttering lies our hearts have conceived. Whoever shuns evil becomes prey to the cancel culture of our day. When will Christians grow enough courage to say enough is enough? When will we say, go ahead and cancel me, I will still serve the Lord God Almighty? When will we become advocates for truth and justice? When will America be able to claim once again, “In God We Trust” [and obey], for there is no other way?

WEARY - Part Two

 

Write From My Heart

May 27, 2021

 

WEARY  lack of patience, tolerance, or zeal

 

Malachi 2:17 (NLT)   You have wearied the LORD with your words. “How have we wearied him?” you ask. You have wearied him by saying that all who do evil are good in the LORD’s sight, and he is pleased with them. You have wearied him by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”

 

Ponder this: (Part Two) One of the most egregious cultural habits of our time is the lack of taking responsibility for our own actions. It is never my fault, someone else imposed it upon me or caused it to happen to me. It is always the duty for someone else to fix it for me. After all, I deserve it, it’s my right. This may seem a bit shocking, or at the very least eye-opening, but don’t we treat God in the same manner? It’s not my fault the world is in tough shape, it’s not my fault our nation is in rapid downhill decline. After all, we reason, it’s God’s job to fix things for me. And in our prayers we dare to test God’s patience and tolerance by asking him when he’s going to get around to fixing things—while we sit idly, doing nothing but waiting. Perhaps it is time we ask ourselves what responsibility we have in working toward spreading the gospel to a lost and dying world. Whether that involves speaking to a neighbor, to younger generations, to community leaders (or becoming a community leader), exercising responsibility in voting, teaching, preaching, sending cards of encouragement, leading a Bible study, or baking a pie…perhaps it is time to go to work for God’s kingdom. Perhaps it is time to stop worrying about God’s timing and start responsibly utilizing the time he has graciously allotted us.

WEARY - Part One

 

Write From My Heart

May 26, 2021

 

WEARY  lack of patience, tolerance, or zeal

 

Malachi 2:17 (NLT)   You have wearied the LORD with your words. “How have we wearied him?” you ask. You have wearied him by saying that all who do evil are good in the LORD’s sight, and he is pleased with them. You have wearied him by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”

 

Ponder this: (Part One) One of the greatest transgressions of our time is the blurring of lines between that which is right and that which is wrong. How quickly we are to justify our thoughts and actions based upon what seems right or good to us. Even in the face of that which is blatantly wrong, we justify our inaction to condemn or speak out under the umbrella of the adage that everyone is precious in God’s sight—perhaps the person, yes—but never the wrong they do. Being a Christian does not issue you a license for condoning sin. Being a Christian does not render you a weakling. If it was wrongful or sinful in God’s sight in earliest biblical times or even during the times of our ancestors; then it is wrongful and sinful now. Each time we sit idly by and allow wrong to prevail we try the Lord’s patience and tolerance. The time has come for Christians to find their voice—temper it with love (Ephesians 4:15)—but find it and use it.