Each day I enjoy reading from Proverbs in the hopes of gaining wisdom. Today’s Proverb, 16:24-30 really stand out to me. When you look at the news, you hear politicians trying to get your vote by making their opponent look bad. I guess I’m just getting old, but I fail to see how making someone else appear smaller can make you seem bigger. It shows how much selfishness and evil is in our world, and it’s growing daily. We all have a choice what to do with our words, and they can be sent for good, or for evil, but one thing is sure, they aren’t coming back once they’ve been said. But they WILL do what they’re sent to do.


Now if politicians were put on a stage with each of them being given a gun instead of being able to speak, the stage would be empty pretty soon as they worked to destroy each other. And then we could get back to living without all their trash talk. Paying attention to verses 27 to 29, I see this going on daily in the political arena. Would to God that they would desire to do good, instead of serving themselves at our expense. But sadly, the political arena is just a small sampling of our society as a whole.

How did it get this way? The simple answer is HEARTS WITHOUT GOD. Whose fault is that? Well, we can blame it on the next person, but the truth is, if you’re a man or woman of God, if we’re not doing everything we can to present Christ to those we are around, it’s OUR fault. Yes, I realize each person has a choice whether to listen and receive Christ or not to, but if we aren’t doing OUR part, how can we logically expect them to just miraculously become Christians?

If we Christians were as vocal as Muslims in getting the word out, and trying to change the world, then the whole world would have already been won to Christ Jesus, and we could all go home. But we have let division from our own denominations water down the Gospel, to the point where people just don’t know “which gospel” to believe anymore. Verse 29 talks about a violent (forceful) man entices his neighbor, and leads him into the way that is not good.

There is only ONE way that is good, and that is GOD’S WAY. There is ONE Gospel, ONE Christ, ONE Savior, and ONE salvation plan. Anything else leads people astray. Now I know we don’t want that to happen, but if we’re not all on the same page, preaching the same Gospel of Jesus Christ, then how can the body of Christ be ONE? Jesus said He is coming back for HIS church. Some would talk about the different parts of the body, eyes, ears, arms, legs, how they all work together for the good of the body. And that’s true, except that the Gospel requires ONE voice from all of us speaking the same thing, not everyone having “their” version of the Gospel. Are you with me?

Every church I’ve ever been in believes THEY are the true church Jesus is coming back for, and yet they can’t even get along with the church down the street and come together to worship under the same roof. THAT IS NOT GOD’S WAY! The signs of the times are showing us that the “church” is becoming more and more like the world every day. Instead of us being a bright light in a dark world that is a beacon of hope for the masses, the church is becoming so worldly that it’s hard to tell where the world ends and where the church starts.

What has happened to the Holy Spirit’s presence being so strong, that when you walk into ANY church, you can actually FEEL His presence there, and you’re rendered speechless and in awe and you fall on your face before God? These days, it’s a competition between churches who has the best “entertainment”, the best light show, the best sound system, the most comfortable seats, the best coffee bar.

Give me that old fashioned preacher that can turn the vilest of sinners from his ways and cause him to run to the altar to give his heart to God after hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, ones like Billy Graham, who turned much of the world to the LORD in his days. You didn’t hear Billy preaching how to get rich or be famous and live in a huge home with Bentleys in the driveway. You heard the uncompromised, undiluted, indisputable Gospel of Jesus Christ, no more, and no less.

Now THAT’S something God can use and bless, my friends. The signs of the times are scary, and there’s only ONE safe haven, and that’s CHRIST JESUS! Let’s tell the world about Him with ONE VOICE, and be part of the solution, instead of part of the problem!