How many reasons do we need before we ALL say we are sick of politics? Let’s face the facts and stop the snakes from not only killing each other but from killing all of us!
Whether you are on the farthest of the left or farthest of the right or frankly do not care, we all should be totally worried about where our government leaders have taken us.
Only One Reason is needed; not 314, how about 8Billion? After nearly 30 days of our federal government shut down over a $5 billion disagreement about a wall one simple fact should be more than enough reason to put an end to this ridiculousness. Assuming the factoids are correct, (I’ll site * Huffington Post to make some happy about the stat) about 800,000 federal employees are not working but will be paid when this is over. The average fed employee costs us taxpayers, $119, 934 per year, divide that by 12 =$10k. President Trumps ‘wall’ demand for $5.7 billion has cost us $8billion so far, for employee compensation alone. Do the math 800k X $10k. * see www huffingtonpost.com/moneytips/federal-employees-earn
Our President has staunchly said he will not sign any budget plan without money to build a wall on the Mexican border (actually it is to fix the portions where there are gaps, but what does it matter now?)
Our Congressional leaders, which at the time of the vote had not even sworn in the majority of new members when the vote came, have said they ‘will not give the President, one dollar?
We’ve said voting will solve this gridlock that has been going on for decades, not just since Obama and Trump came along, Right – that has fixed everything, hasn’t it? The Dems had control of all 3 branches and did nothing to help the people, the GOP had all 3 branches the past two years and did nothing to help the people. Now, once again the lines have been firmly drawn in the sand all at the expense of the people they are supposed to be representing.
So, who has won this line-in-the-sand argument?
I am sure many people will disagree even with the most basic statements I just made, yes people, I know more than ‘nothing’ has been done by both sides. But face the facts of what a divided nation we live in. Most of us get along very well with one another, yet clearly, politicians and media lead us to believe that the majority of Americans hate each other as much or more than these ‘leaders’ HATE each other. Sadly it is becoming acceptable for all people to join in the game of being jerks with one another.
I personally hate snakes! Creating the picture for this post was terrifying, to be honest.
A few months ago while working in my garden, I accidentally grabbed an 8″ garter snake while picking weeds. (For those who don’t know snakes per websters – Garter snake is a common name for the nearly harmless, small to medium-sized snakes belonging to the genus Thamnophis. Endemic to North America). I jumped 3 feet in the air while screaming the loudest girlish scream ever heard. I had to run in the house and change my drawers and face my wife who was laughing hysterically. She said, ‘saw a snake didn’t you.’ (not the 1st time this happened) My neighbor came by a few minutes later and asked if I had heard someone scream, I lied and told him I did hear something, ‘I think it was a car squealing its tires.’
While some will argue that snakes meet some viable needs in nature, I and many like me could do without them. But the fact is they exist everywhere and serve a purpose. If we could get rid of the poisonous ones all would bring harmony. The fact of the matter is though that we must be rightfully worried about the bad ones, and work closely to protect the good ones (defined finely). We have no choice but to put up resistance against the poisonous ones, so they do not cause us harm, and there are ways of doing so without killing them.
I personally also hate politics! Many of us are tired and worn out from the snakes biting each other. What has our world come to where the leaders constantly publicly lambast and personally attack one another? How can an elected official publicly call the POTUS a ‘mother &^%+) and face no retribution? How can congress members suggest that people harass other elected officials in restaurants with no retribution? How do both sides live with themselves carrying hate everywhere?
How is it that the liars tell so many lies that we have absolutely no clue what is the truth any longer?
The solution – ALL of us regular old and young average Joe’s/Jo’s need to demand that the political games end, NOW! Snakes exist everywhere and tell lies everywhere, we cannot change who people are, but we certainly can RESIST falling for their tricks. We certainly can resist accepting vitriol from both of our parties. We certainly can resist from telling them because we believe part of what you are doing is good, that it is ok to lie and spew hate. It is NOT. It in NOT ok to spew hate at the expense of detriment to the majority of people – we all want it to stop. We’re creating new generations of rude and disrespectful people.
It starts and ends with you and I doing more than just sitting and taking this, make calls and send letters to our leaders that we will no longer tolerate the division. We also must resist from joining in and stop spewing the hate our selves.
Please take a moment and watch and listen to this video/song written in 2011 and released, but this revised video came out in 2015. The words, the quotes, and the tune fit our times and with it being MLK weekend here in 2019 seems like a good moment to bring it back out. I don’t typically like rap music, but do appreciate it here as it fits well to reach all generations to be motivated to join in the resistance against hate and character assassination.
To be sure I am not misunderstood, I am not suggesting a rebellion but call for resistance to NOT join in and accept the games. We cannot continue to be naive to what is happening in our world, especially on the political stages.
Some think the story of Adam and Eve is fiction, but hang with me a minute or two longer, please…
Women, ever wonder why giving birth is so darn painful? Men ever wonder why there are weeds and thorns in your garden and why work (manual) is so painful? Why do we have disgusting snakes?
It all goes back to Genesis 3:14, ‘Then God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live.’ Way back, in the beginning, there was only one reason (how many do we need 314?) and only one rule, don’t eat the apple that will lead to death for all. When Adam and Eve listened to the lie and did not resist joining in with the liar, it all made part of life misery after that.
3:15-19 summarizes ‘He told the Woman: “I’ll multiply your pains in childbirth; you’ll give birth to your babies in pain.
‘He told the Man: The very ground is cursed because of you; getting food from the ground Will be as painful as having babies is for your wife; you’ll be working in pain all your life long. The ground will sprout thorns and weeds, you’ll get your food the hard way, Planting and tilling and harvesting, sweating in the fields from dawn to dusk, Until you return to that ground yourself, dead and buried; you started out as dirt, you’ll end up dirt.
Seems like a silly story and silly explanation while at the same time it appears the leader of leaders is vindictive. Some people like a leader that puts people in their place and worship them. Some people hate the thought and reject leaders (and God whom they view as carrying a big stick) completely. Others say it is what it is, get depressed, worried, and feel hopeless. There are reasons why we’re in this boat, I believe because we in moments of weakness give in to lies and temptations. The solution to the problem is being wise and RESIST listening to lies and joining in the hate-filled games.
Where do you stand? How many reasons do you need to worry about the Gov’t shutdown and worse hold a fear of bigger miseries on tap for our world?
Are you a warrior, whether on the left or right, that will help in the fight to bring unity to our disunited country and government?
This is not the end, I have more than 314 reasons why life is what it is and how all is not awful snake biting news. But you may or may not want to read more, your choice…..
If this is your first time visiting Average Joe’s Portico, every post is written in two parts. You have just read the portion challenging the mind, body, and soul. In The Portico I seek to tap into your spiritual side, but only IF YOU DARE. Tap the Red Line Below to hear the Spiritual side of the story. (For more info – read the ‘Do You Dare’ Tab)
If You Dare, Click to Enter Into Joe's Portico.
Everyone in America knows the Bibles most famous verse John 3:16, I don’t even have to look it up, ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son and everyone who believes in Him will not die but will have eternal life.’ Da daaa, all is well, all of Genesis 314 and all that – is resolved, done, and over. We all live happily ever after. If you have the verse memorized, way to go, you must be saved. God is loving and all of this political stuff, all the bad things, they don’t matter, just ignore them. End of story, shut up and hit the post button, Joe! (no mocking intended, it is the good news, GOD is All Love, read my ‘about’ page for more)
But what if I told you that Jesus became like a snake and even compared himself to being a snake, and became one! (Try saying aloud that you are comparing any religious leader to being a snake and let me know how that turns out for you, especially if you do it in the middle east)
Well, Jesus said it about Himself just a bit before the most famous Bible verse – In John 314 – ‘Just as Moses lifted up the bronze serpent (aka SNAKE) in the desert on a pole, so must the Son of Man be lifted up on the cross, 15 so that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life after physical death, and will actually live forever. (AMP version)
Jesus did not sweep under the carpet the fact that we are all at times like snakes. It was a necessity for the snake to be put on a display that all people, every single one of us, would be reminded how we are like slithering snakes in the grass. I personally in my mind have bitten and poisoned to death many a politician in my mind. Matter of factly at times, I have not been happy (call that hate by Jesus definition) with myself, my wife, my kids, my parents, my bosses, my friends, my neighbors, people I don’t even know, at one time or another, and yes towards God at times.
The bronze serpent that Moses had Aaron mold and put on a pole was put on display as a remedy to stop a curse of a snake biting death curse that was put on the grumbling Jewish ex-slaves. Oddly, unlike Lot’s wife who was told not to look at evil Sodom and Gomorrah turning her to salt), and an idol sort of that the people were told to never worship, was used to bring healing, protection, and immunity to snake bites. After finishing my story, come back and read this great expose by Steven J. Cole fully explaining what Jesus meant in his statment made in John 314.
Since I know 99% of you will not hit the link later, here are the cliff notes:
- Because of sin, all people are under the curse of death. Rom. 6:23
- God in His perfect love graciously provided the remedy for the curse 1 Cor. 1:18
- The remedy (that snake depiction) had to be lifted up and crucified to defeat death. John 12:30-33
- The only thing that cursed people have to do to be healed is to look in faith to God’s remedy (Romans 10
- The result of looking upon and believing was full life (here and later) John 10
Some Christians today believe we should all be gung-ho strong warriors fighting in the political world as well as the spiritual world. We tie it closely to going to all the world and making disciples of the whole world. Others avoid it like the plague, perhaps also being the ones that feel sitting in the back of the church and leaving it up to somebody else is the right way to live – we cannot offend anyone with this sin topic, just love them. And yes, there is a balance perhaps 90/100 all about God’s love.
Perhaps there is a perfect middle, but some need to be in positions of leadership at all levels of business and government. If you have to be an avoider, at least be a strong intercessor and pray for those in gov’t leadership and go all out serving your church group. I can give 314 arguments for both sides and urge everyone to at least do something.
We must absolutely be in a resistance movement to the snake of all snakes. As I said earlier, it is hard to tell what is true and who is lying and who is not. Rest assured, lies surround us, and the master liar is seeking to deceive all of us in many ways. Therefore we need to be sure that our #1 job of resisting is in Warrior mode, the Voice says it well in Eph 6:13 ‘And this is why you need to be head-to-toe in the full armor of God: so you can resist during these evil days and be fully prepared to hold your ground.’
Some of us think we have it down in our personal lives. We find it easy to criticize fallen leaders, negating the fact that guess what, the temptations are much greater for the Billy Graham’s of the world. Thus we need to be on guard as most of us are seeing garter snakes, not pythons. We have to be careful to not join in the game of destroying people (with those memes we share on social media) so let’s use a stronger verse – ‘You have not yet struggled and fought agonizingly against sin, nor have you yet resisted and withstood to the point of pouring out your [own] blood.’ Hebrews 12:4 AMPC (Noting, I have not either and need a kick in the pants myself often. Have listened to that song posted earlier, listen to it really, to get the guts to post this)
Josh Garrels -Resistance Video
Lastly, for those who think you are doing the right thing by doing nothing, not wanting to be either radical or have zero involvement in any of the messes, there are 314 reasons why you may be the worst snake of all. Huh?
Revelation 314 is about a note to the church of Laodicea. It was a country similar to the America of today with a dominant economy, and land blessed by God. It had ports to all nations and a Wall street like dominance in all trade. It was the last letter written to the 7 important churches and we believe was written by Jesus through the pen of John. He said in 3:14-16 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. “
So do we need to Worry? (i thought your blog was about how not to worry? my wife asked)
History tells us that the church of Laodicea turned out to have a building that puts any mega-church to shame, it was a city block wide and long.
We must assume the Laodicean Christians heeded the warning. Their love for one another and reach outs of olive branches to those who opposed them must have worked well. Our call is to listen to what God is saying to us, rather than listening to the snake-whispering lies in our ears. I’ll cover 314 more reasons why in a day or so.
Meanwhile, let us understand our need for personal resistance against joining in with the haters of the world. Do ALL that we can to get our leaders to do the right thing and set aside their dumb differences and hate for one another. Do all we can physically and spiritually to convince them to work with one another for the benefit of all. If we don’t tell them ourselves that hate and character assasination are not acceptable, then nobody will. And for those of us with kids we must teach our kids that just because a ‘leader’ does something hateful, it is not ok for them to repeat the actions.
As a side note on listening, I woke up at 3:14 a.m. Thursday night. I’d prefer to stay away from politics, but at a time of crises that we are facing today, is sitting on the fence the right thing to do? Upon taking the message of researching via the 3:14 prompt on the clock, I can think of 314 reasons why we need to do more. And P.S., for a view on should we build a wall or not, consider the views written in a recent post titled: No Worries Credit Card Precautions Hint, once you enter the Portico, you’ll find it is about more than credit card fraud.
Please share your comments, what struggles with hurt do you have? How can we help you move from a position of worrier to one of a Warrior?
I hear what you are saying but we get bombarded 100 times a day with people responding to lies (like the made up story of the high school boys in the maga hat taunting that fake Indian) and they scream in hate and cannot see how dumb they are to fall for the fake headlines.
It is very hard to not join into the reign-deer games where people try to rattle purposely you. It is a power game (why I used reign) to manipulate people into doing exactly what they do in order to bring you to their level, which you can never win. No matter what you state to refute the comments all one has to do in return is call you names such as misogynist or racist and then others join in and your reputation to them is destroyed. Seriously, who ever heard the word misogynistic until recently? Now it is used like the, a, and I. Best to just avoid the arguments and resist hitting the comment bar, when a topic heads down that path. But meanwhile, look for the rare positive ones and share, share, share. That was my goal with this post, it was written intending to be neutral, but how many read it that way?
I too am tired of the political wars. It is like we are systematically being numbed down to where you dont give a hoot anymore. Your 314 reasons [cool number trick ?❤️] is like a wake up call because lots of people that do care are closing their eyes and hoping it just stops. That is complacency likeputting a frog in a pot of water and slowly turning up the heat. By the tine the water reaches boiling it’s to late, the frog is dinner and doesn’t know it.
Great observation Tracy, the more we see childish behavior the more likely we are to turn it off and ignore it. I feel sorry for Donald Trump as he deals with millions of haters practically every day, with little support to back him up. Although sometimes I wished he’d just get numb to it himself and ignore the egging. It is amazing he hasn’t pulled a Richard Nixon and given up saying, ‘you don’t have Nixon to kick around anymore’. And thanks for the comments!–