THE JOHN KERRY     
         MATCH

         I confess I lit a match the other day, or at least fanned the flame, and it bothered me. It may seem like a small match to many, but it robbed my peace and wasted time I could have spent more productively. James 5:16a says: “Confess your faults one to another and pray for one another….”, so that is what I am doing. 
         Each time I received an email making fun of John Kerry, I felt a warning in my spirit...not to go there.
         After years of reading the Psalms and Proverbs, these familiar words came to my mind. “Rejoice NOT when thine enemy falls, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbles: lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.” (Proverbs 24:17-18).
         The Lord will do His own work against our enemies and it is wise to recognize the difference between good and evil. (Isaiah 5:20). But, according to God’s Word, I do not think it pleases Him for us to make fun of, or gloat over, our enemies.
         We can Praise God for every victory. I believe our Lord enjoys our Praise and Prayer more than using “idle words” to ignite fires of revenge.
         Jesus said in RED LETTERS:  “…Every IDLE WORD that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” (Matthew 12:36).
         I wish I had known this years ago when I was dropping so many careless matches (words). But, now that I know better, I ask our Sweet Holy Spirit to continue teaching me and reminding me and making me aware of danger points, and what pleases our Lord.
         So, when I delete an email about John Kerry before I read it, I say a prayer for him. And by NOT FORWARDING that email, in my own personal life, I recognize that I have put out a small fire…or at least, not allowed it to continue in my life. Nor have I fanned the flames into the life of someone else. 
         We are all In Training. And I appreciate your prayers for me that I will be more careful with matches (words and actions) in the days to come.

GOD BLESS ALL OF US FIRE-FIGHTERS
IN TRAINING!

                         

          Words (matches) can light fires for good as well as for evil. I pray that our words are used more for igniting fires of good. We have a choice. That’s why I love this verse so much.
         “Let NO communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is GOOD to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29)