Tag: #repentance

Words We Speak

We often, in fits of pique, speak things so contrary to what we as Christians are taught to say. Hopefully those are aberrations and not our norm. We so often can be put on display whereby people can see us or read us as living epistles. One set aside as ministers of the one we say we worship, Jesus Christ. Where thoughts contrary to His teachings can be cast down and brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians10). Yet, as is spoken in Romans 3:23, “We all sin and fall short of the glory of God.”

But we also see in Romans 1 that many do fall considerably short. Many are filled with unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness. They are backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving and unmerciful. This is a good part of the character that we find in Donald Trump. And these disgusting personality traits are becoming more on display each day. The words “love your adversaries” is not something he cares to understand.

Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupt or unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only that which is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to those who hear.” Former FBI chief Robert Mueller just recently died. He led the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election that Trump won. Mueller was a man of integrity. He served under 5 administrations, both republican and democrat. A former Marine who served in Vietnam and was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor and a Purple Heart. He’s in the Ranger Hall of Fame. He was a man of faith and decency. A tireless public servant. Unassuming. Yet on the day of his death we hear more evil from Donald Trump saying, “Good. I’m glad he’s dead. Now he can no longer hurt innocent people.” Trump of course is referring to himself as innocent of any wrongdoing.

I’m still looking for the “Evangelical Christians” to speak to this constant double standard they have for Trump. 2 Corinthians 5 tells us that if we are in Christ, we are new creations. The old man must be put away. We become new creations. I realize this doesn’t happen overnight, but there is no scripture you can show me where some people are exempt from ever having to put on Christ. To cast off the old man of sin. To not weigh each word that proceeds from our mouth. When Proverbs 17:5b says, “He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished,” I cannot find a verse that refutes that. We reap what we sow and Donald trump has sown to the flesh his entire life. Yet his defenders in the faith are too numerous to be numbered.

The Apostle James asks us if a spring can send forth both fresh and bitter water from the same opening. Yet we do that with our words. And the same people that say they bless God, use the same mouth to steadfastly bless Trump. They invent and justify ways to glorify him. They say anything from “he’s sent by God, one who will bring in Jesus and win Armageddon,” to “he’s a baby Christian and not responsible for his conduct.” We are responsible for our words and deeds. And thank God we can come before Him and repent and be cleansed. Yet in Trump we’ve found one that has nothing to repent of. Time to realize that there is none without sin and words do matter. We must come before Him and confess always. The deity Trump worships does not care about repentance. Only about doing that which is contrary to Christ. Step away from this man of perdition and seek His embrace. Cast off every word that does not produce life. Pray without ceasing. Stand. Blessings.

Trail

It’s been awhile since Rob Reiner’s death and I’ve often thought of it. Yet I hesitated to write about it then because of the horrible things said by Donald trump and how it may have affected my response. But I’ve thought about it quite a bit. The response by Trump saying Rob Reiner and his wife’s death was because he was a deranged person. That he was bad for our country. That his death was from a massive, unyielding and incurable disease known as Trump derangement syndrome. Rob Reiner was politically active. He spoke out against injustice. There were some things where he was more liberal than I may have liked, but his heart was genuine. He said, “The most important thing is that you be a good person and you live by the Golden Rule. If you live by that, that’s all I care about. I believe in doing unto others and I believe in forgiveness.” That is the polar opposite of any creed Trump may believe in. Rob Reiner cared about others. Trump cares only for Trump.

Romans 14:7 says our lives are interconnected, not isolated. Our actions and choices leave a lasting impression on others. No one lives just to himself or dies just to himself. We leave a trail of who we are/were. Some leave a lasting impact. For good or bad. For truth or a lie. Look at the trail left by Rob Reiner. He, like all of us, had flaws. He may have stood for some causes that angered some. But his motives were altruistic as opposed to one like Trump who is self- seeking and narcissistic. Altruism would be where Trump would quote a line from “Princess Bride,” directed by Reiner, and say “inconceivable!” Reiner left a legacy of decency, friendship, standing for what was right, whether popular or not, in his life as an activist and as a director of films like Princess Bride, Stand By Me, When Harry Met Sally, and A Few Good Men. The principle of good vs bad is often portrayed. Right vs wrong. Love vs hate. Forgiveness and redemption. He may have been too far to the left politically for some, but his heart spoke a message of beauty that so many are unable to articulate in their own lives. He did it without reservation. Princess Bride and Stand By Me are two of my favorite films. They speak of love, hope, friendship, and goodness. There is nothing in Trump’s life that speaks to any of those qualities. Only self, hate, lying, stealing, hurting, killing, blaspheming, sexually abusing, overseeing murder, all while waving flags that represents America and God. We are warned to turn away from such people. Try to picture films that would portray what was in Trump’s mind. Most would be X rated. Filled with so much evil. Special warnings would be given for all viewers.

I, like so many, regret many choices and bad decisions I’ve made in my life. But I grasp I John 1:9 as a lifeline. We all sin and fall short of His glory but we can repent. In Trump we see one who has stated he has nothing to repent of. Anyone who stands by such a statement will hear, “Depart from Me, I never knew you.” So, can we honestly reflect on the trail we will leave on this earth? We do not live or die just to ourselves. There is even a record of every word we speak. We need to honestly assess the trail, even legacy, of what we leave in this life. We need to measure how it lines up to the precepts of what Jesus taught. To basic principles of right and wrong. Love and hate. We can turn from all that which is the antithesis of the trail Jesus left for us or we can stubbornly refuse and keep following that which draws with evil intent like what we see/hear in one like Trump. Keep refusing to hear words of life which bring only death and then you will hear the line spoken from Princess Bride, “As You Wish.” Leave a trail that leads to everlasting life. Blessings.