Tasting Blood

That's what happens when I bite my tongue and I've been doing a lot of that lately.  I go on Facebook quite regularly and I've been known to be a bit outspoken about my beliefs and political views, but lately I seen so much political opinion being shared by others that it would take me all day to respond to it all if I really wanted to.  Truth is...I usually do want to, but there is a still, quiet voice inside of me that says, "don't".  In fact, many times I've typed something out, sat there and read what I typed, and then (a bit begrudgingly) hit the backspace key.  It's not worth it.  I've come to realize that I am not going to change anyone's political view.  I can have a few moments of "touche", but that's fleeting and it's just part of the vicious cycle of bi-partisan politics.

I'm learning all this as I go.  More and more the Holy Spirit guides me in what is "throwing pearls to swine".  The only way to impact the beliefs of another person is to let Christ do the leading.

The most disheartening part of it all is seeing how many people truly are deceived. 

My people perish for lack of knowledge. Hosea 4:6  

These are people that develop their views from the world rather than The Word of God.  Sure, they may take the scriptures that they like, the warm and fuzzy ones that get twisted and taken out of context so they "tickle their ears", and then they ignore the real meat that could save them from a fiery eternity.  Denying the scripture is SERIOUS business!  We MUST believe it ALL...or the truth is, we don't really believe it!

I really like the analogy about the path being a straight and narrow one.  We walk a straight line.  If we take our foot off that line it might not seem like a big deal, but as we walk we deviate away from the path a little more, and then a little more.  The next thing we know, we are so far off the path that we can't even see it anymore.  It's too late.  We are then knee-deep in deception!

If only people could really come to realize what is really happening:

For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine (that "sound doctrine" is the Bible, by the way). Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers (there's plenty of false teachers selling a lot of books and doing lots of t.v. appearances these days) to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4

So what does this have to do with the election season we're in?  Well, it's like this...in one corner you have a man who calls himself a Christian, yet has not proven to be one (that would be the current president).  Then, in another corner, you have a man that is a Mormon.  The problem is, unless you truly know what the Bible says, you vote for the wrong man.  As a Bible-believing Christian, I have to look at who is going to adhere to biblical principles, not at what they say they are.  Who is going to respect God's definition of marriage, rather than try to rewrite it into something that is clearly NOT natural?  Who is going to protect unborn babies, rather than be an advocate for killing them?  Who is going to stand with Israel?  Who is going to encourage people to be self-reliant, rather than put their trust in the government to take care of them?  If you truly see yourself as a follower of Christ, you will know who the "wolf in sheep's clothing" is.  You will have discernment from the Lord.

I write this, not for the person who hasn't accepted Christ as their Savior, but for the person who calls themselves a Christian, yet has not chosen to truly GIVE their life over to Him.  Maybe you think you have.  Ask yourself a few questions...  Do you take the WHOLE Bible as the Truth or do you take bits and pieces?  Do you accept the Truth that Christ is the one and only way to salvation or do you accept the world's view that "all paths lead to God"?  Do you "draw nearer to Him so that He may draw nearer to you" (avoid sinful practices as outlined in the Bible) or do you find yourself being entertained by worldly desires that do not edify you or glorify the Lord? If you answered "yes" to the second half of any or all of those questions then you are just like I used to be...before I accepted the Truth completely AND decided to live my life completely for Him.  It changed my life in so many wonderful ways.  I know that I know 1) who God is, 2) that He is real, and 3) without Him, there is no hope to eternity in Heaven.

Time is short.  We never know when that moment will be when we stand face-to-face with God....