Hey there BCU Fam!
For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording (click here or on the BCU avatar below) and refer to the written post for the highlights. We pray the post blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post!
Podcast highlights:
- Recently, I posted about an incident about my experience in a local car shop.
- During the situation, I was infuriated and really wanted to confront this individual about their thoughtless, rude behavior.
- The Lord let me know that speaking at that time would have resulted in me moving in the flesh versus The Spirit.
- As I was ruminating over what happened days later, the Lord let me know what would have happened, had I ignored His warning.
Scripture references:
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
BCUFam, Ecclesiastes 3:7 tells us there us a time and season to everything in our lives—-—specifically a time to keep silence and a time to speak. Interestingly enough, “keep silent” is listed first. Even when we are right, we have to check with the Lord to see if we should speak. In this case the answer was “no”, and here is why.
Matthew 24:12 reminds us that in the last days, because iniquity shall abound, the love of many would wax cold. Cold love is a selfish, self-gratifying, I-do-what-I feel-like spirit that does not think through the consequences and after effects of their decision making. The least little incident is an invitation to get immediate retribution by any means necessary.
The Lord CLEARLY let me know my fleshly response would have been a trigger for something sinister to happen and that reaction would have negatively effected everyone in the shop that day, as well as their families. As much as I wanted to be avenged, I certainly would not have wanted to be responsible for anyone getting hurt or killed, over such an important, yet minor offense.
And on top of it, what if things had quickly escalated where I did not have time to repent, and I lost my life? I likely would have missed Heaven——-all over a place in line. We have to ask ourselves if what we are thinking, saying, or doing will help or hinder us from seeing Jesus in peace. When we think about it that way, let’s opt to walk in the Spirit with the help of the Lord. Amen? Amen! Let’s pray!
Eternal God and Savior we come before you in the Name of Jesus, thanking You for the reminder to walk in the Spirit rather than the flesh. Walking the way You instruct us to in Galatians 5 may not always be popular or feel good, but we bring our thoughts, flesh and actions under subjection to you, Jesus, so we are not pleasing people or ourselves, but You and You alone.
Bless us to remember that you are recording our thoughts, deeds, actions and our interactions——and we will one day have to give an account for all that we have done in this life. We desire that our account be in the positive so that You can welcome us into the Kingdom of Heaven and not miss out because we want to do things our way. Thank You for this timely reminder as You continue to keep and strengthen us, as we give Your name the praise, glory and honor that belongs to You, in Jesus Name we pray, Amen!
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Love,
BCU