During the past 24 hours, I have repeatedly heard both Presidential candidates call the other candidate a liar, not just concerning a particular issue but in respect to their character. I have listened to people and organizations as they refer to those who do not support one or the other candidate as either being a Trump hater or a Biden hater. Lying and hating are words and attributes that I do not even want my children or grandchildren to hear, especially in the context of those running for the highest office of our country! It is one thing to have disagreements on policy but quite another to show complete disrespect and hatred for the other. And to hear each candidate as well as other politicians say they will not accept the results of the election shows a disrespect for the office they seek and Constitution they are bound to uphold.
I have concluded that either both candidates are telling the truth concerning the other, or they are both deluded and are incapable of presenting their positions in a way that will sway the electorate to cast their votes in their favor. It is evident that they cannot recognize any quality in the opposing candidate that would show them to be a person you may be able to disagree with yet be respectful towards. I remember a time when there was some semblance of honor given to being the President of the United States, even to the opposing candidate! The sad part is that almost all of the candidates running for a political office have similar thoughts concerning those running against them.
The current situation saddens me because we see that it has affected the way people, in general, treat one another and how they converse with one another. Suddenly honor and respect for the other person are not essential to pursue if the other person disagrees with the issue at hand. I have heard of their being divisions and quarrels among family members and even Christians that may affect their friendships for a lifetime.
In my estimation and from everything I was taught from a small child on into adulthood, to be called a liar is a serious accusation. May I remind us that A liar (deceiver) is one of the prominent names and attributes of the devil himself. The most important fact that we can know in this life is what Jesus said in John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” There is no other way to our Father God, but through Jesus Christ, and every one of us is created to know and experience His great love and faithfulness.
Three things on our Hearts to Pursue in this Hour
1. Repentance is the key foundation for personal and corporate deliverance and freedom.
As born-again Christians, the character and nature of God lives inside us through the power of the Holy Spirit. To hear God’s voice, we must know what He sounds like and what His character truly emulates. We find His commandments, and His great love for us made evident in His word. He has not left us as orphans to fend for ourselves, but He has sent the Holy Spirit to help us in every part of our lives as we give all to His Lordship. It is not difficult to submit to Him when His love captures us, and we are overwhelmed by His presence and convinced of the power He avails to us to be over-comers. It is when we attempt to act out of our flesh and speak from our old nature that we fall short. May we be quick to forgive one another and to repent of personal sin.
2. Loving God and loving our neighbor as we love ourselves are the two greatest commandments!
To love God with all our heart, soul, and mind are the key components to begin the transformation of our new identity found in Him. When we love Him, we begin to see and feel as He does and what is essential to God becomes important to us. We manifest His heart through acts of justice and kindness guided by the Holy Spirit, who lives in and alongside us as our helper and strength. I have come to realize that our “neighbor” denotes all people of every color and tribe, and nation.! Just as who we will be standing by and what we will experience in worshipping Him when we live in eternity with our Lord. And yes, wearing a mask if it is mandated to do so or if some are at high risk is considered choosing to love your neighbor as you would yourself.
I Corinthians 13:1-13 comes to mind as this is what Godly love is intended to look like. “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
3. Recognize that we are in a spiritual war in this world and nation and that we need to be aware that we are not fighting flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
May we take up the full armor of God and be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. Ephesians 6:10-17. May we stop pointing fingers at human beings (especially at our fellow Christians) and pray for His mercy, His presence, and for a revival of another Jesus movement/Awakening to sweep over our nation. Make a plan to not argue or quarrel over that which will cause separation in families or among friends. Stay focused on knowing God and making Him known through your prayers, through your love, through your acts of kindness, and through worshiping Him throughout the day and night. Are you aware that spirit-filled worship ‘crowds out’ the enemy?
I want to end with a few lyrics of a worship song that has captured our hearts. It is sung by Joe L. Barnes and Naomi Raine and is called, ‘Promises’
I Put my Faith in Jesus,
My anchor to the ground,
My hope and firm foundation,
He’ll never let me down.
From the rising sun to the setting sun I will praise your name.
Great is your faithfulness to me!
Type in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5m09rqOoxE or type in, (Barnes/Raines/Promises)
Much Love and Blessings Always,
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