“But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed, that ye be not consumed one of another,” Galatians 5:15.

This was written to a church where the people had received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Perhaps we kinda shied away from these words. If we were to say it in our common language, it would likely be; “eating one another up.”

It was an expression here. If someone had just given us a good tongue lashing, we’d say, “He ate me up.” It speaks for itself.

Imprinted in our minds, in the beginning, we were often reminded that these letters which the apostle wrote, were not to the world. They were to the Church.

Did we attempt to become so holy, that we no longer accepted that? This “biting and devouring one another,” was a real problem in the early church. Otherwise, why would he choose to address it.”

Oh, the apostles wrote a lot of things about how the people in the church should act; or not act. It couldn’t have been about us though. But experience showed us, that it really was.

I’ve asked the LORD, if I might say something here. First of all, I have no desire to say what “I” want to say.

One thing for sure, I certainly would not speak in the way the Spirit would want it said. Some of us, are back-slidden. We’re as back-slidden as we can be.

We are saying things and doing things, when we absolutely know better. My heart has finally been broken in this place.

What is coming out of people’s mouths, is so far beyond what could be thought of. Why is this?

There was a reason that the apostle wrote about the works of the flesh, before he described the fruit of the Spirit.

To help ground us, let’s start naming that fruit he spoke of. Love, joy, peace…… Was it goodness and gentleness; longsuffering, to include meekness?

I may not list it exactly right, but I think we get the message. It has hurt me a lot lately, about how much some people’s attitudes have changed. Those whom I came to love here. Who had encouraged others.

I’m not in your politics. It’s a fact that some folk can say such nice things, sound so sincere and kind, then suddenly rail out loudly about their opinion. Or, they share such crass demeanment that someone else posted.

From the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. We have fallen for a slick trick that Satan came up with. Get them to biting and devouring one another, and the Spirit will not flow freely. Let them shout and yell at each other, and they won’t realize just how weak and shallow, they have now become.

In the past couple of days, I have come to understand more and more, that most people are not going to listen. You’re not going to reach them.

In the old book, God called it “stiff-necked”, hearts of stone, a rebellious house, dull of hearing and eyes blinded. It may not seem sincere to some, but that hurts me.

Tonight, my spirit was broken; I quietly began to weep. Nothing is supposed to separate us from the love of God; nothing. But our fruit, is really, of the flesh.

It’s going to take a big shaking. Certain things are happening now, all over the world. And we’ve been told, it’s not if, but when, for us.

Too many of us have chewed on others, until there is not much left. Double-tongued. The native people here, called it, speaking with a forked tongue. It’s as though we don’t believe we will give account for it all, one day.

See, we’re pointing at everybody else, when we are just as bad. We should be deeply grateful, that we have a very forgiving God.

While we fight one another, the enemy gets closer.

 

~ Robert Blackburn

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Robert Blackburn

 

 

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