AMERICA AND THE CHURCH
An individual, or in the case of this writing - a government/nation that operates with envy and selfish ambition, like America, will soon see the end of it's days. "if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." (James 3:14-16)
Do we not find "disorder and every evil practice" even at the very top of the American government? Yes, we unfortunately do. Our nation's source of wisdom has shifted drastically over the years to ourselves. Now that God is dramatically fading from the national picture, the times where God is called upon is even with the wrong intentions. "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God." (James 4:1-4) The "weeds" of American government are choking the "good plants" of the American people growing next to them (Matthew 13:22-30). All the while our leaders source of wisdom is their own. "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God." (Romans 8:5-8) It is a condition called - the blind leading the blind.
However, Christians have The Answer for those who desire the other source of wisdom. "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." (James 3:17-18) I encourage every Christian to share in this heavenly wisdom. Be pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive to God, full of mercy, full of good fruit, impartial with The Gospel, sincere and a peacemaker. In addition, be their "salt" or "saltiness" that is so greatly needed. "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men." (Matthew 5:13)
In the time of Jesus, salt was used as - (1) a preservative, (2) for flavor, (3) as an antiseptic, (4) for protection from evil spirits, and (5) as fertilizer.
- Where there is death there is decay. Christians bring a preserving force of God's presence here on earth.
- The world is going to have it's take on things and Christians should always be ready, willing and able to present God's Word as flavor to a stale world view.
- Jesus is the Great Physician and we are His Healing Salts. We need to be open to how He wants to apply us to a world of moral decay. Be available to be used as a disinfectant, cleansing agent or a tool to stop the bleeding, the spread of infection or speed up the healing process.
- Salt does not need to be placed around windows or doors anymore to ward off evil spirits. God has empowered the Believer with the Holy Spirit for effective living. We have the salt and the salty life that provides protection, safety, deliverance and freedom to an imprisioned world.
- And Just as natural fertilizer helps plants grow, Christians should impact those around them to improve every area simply by spreading the salt - God's Spirit and Word - found within.
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