Lessons to be learned from the Campaign Trail- Part 2
Based on a story in the New York Times:
The next clue is so obvious, it can’t be overlooked. See it?
“…she (Gov. Palin) failed to inform….” Communication is the key to a successful marriage. In fact, any successful endeavor is marked by a strong system of communication. Listen to what the Prophet MalachI had to say about communication:
Mal 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another….” God listens when those that fear Him speak to one another with tenderness and kindness. Don’t you just love that? After His resurrection, Jesus met two of his diciples on the road to Emmaus. He spoke to them, and afterwards they said:
Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? Luk 24:32 Did you catch it?
“And they said one to another… OUR HEART” (singular). The true disciples of Jesus don’t have divided hearts, through the Holy Spirit, they have but ONE HEART!
Eze 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: Act 4:32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any [of them] that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. Too many times our conversations lead to “heartburn”, a symtom of stress, anxiety and anger. Speaking to one another as people who fear God shouldn’t lead to heartburn, but, rather to
“hearts burning with love and zeal for the Lord”.
Those who walk with Jesus are not at cross purposes, nor do they seek their own agenda. They communicate one with another with respect and a kind spirit. They may disagree, but their disagreements don’t lead to infighting and, ultimately , self-destruction. Paul disagreed with Peter, but their disagreement didn’t lead to a Saturday night brawl. Yes, by all means, speak the truth, and do not compromise your views or principles. But do so with love, the Apostle Paul advised.
In paragraph 4 of the New York Times article we find another clue.
“Difficult relationship” Lets go back in time for a minute to when you first came to the Lord. Remember?
2Cr 5:17 Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Remember when all the old hates, the old desires, the old ways, died there at that altar of repentance? When I met Christ, having a relationship with others wasn’t difficult at all. I loved EVERYBODY! Black/ white, trinitarian,/oneness, Republican/Democrat , saint/sinner. Whats happening to me? I don’t love like that now. I find it more difficult now to have friendly relationships. I make distinctions between my brothers and sisters now. I am not as concerned about the lost as I once was. “Oh, Lord, take me back to that altar of repentance. Take me back to Calvary.
Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Strangers. That’s what they were. Strangers from different regions, from different cultures. Different nations. But, they all came together as ONE. They
“gladly received”. They “
continued steadfastly”. They were united in “
doctrine”. They ate together, and prayed together. They believed together, They stood together on common ground. They cared for one another to the extent that they shared their possessions with one another. There was joy and gladness among them? How was this possible? The last three words of
Acts 2:46 is the answer: “
Singleness of heart”.
Apart from God, “difficult relationships” are expected. But, not so, within the Body of Christ.
For thru the Holy Spirit, we are all baptized into ONE BODY!
More to come….