The Fire Tongue

Are the issues of the day upsetting you? Bring them to God and let Him lead you to speak out in an effective way.

His stance on Jesus and daily devotion echoes The Fire Tongue’s value. Acknowledge God daily, and discern His presence in your life. That will lead to an indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

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A Conversation With AI About LGBTQ Issues

Jesus, all for Jesus All I am and have And ever hope to be Jesus, all for Jesus All I am and have And ever hope to be

All of my ambitions, hopes and plans I surrender these Into your hands All of my ambitions, hopes and plans I surrender these Into your hands

For its only in Your will that I am free For its only in Your will that I am free

Jesus, all for Jesus All I am and have And ever hope to be

Jesus, all for Jesus All I am and have And ever hope to be Jesus, all for Jesus All I am and have And ever hope to be

All of my ambitions, hopes and plans I surrender these Into your hands All of my ambitions, hopes and plans I surrender these Into your hands

For its only in Your will that I am free For its only in Your will that I am free

Jesus, all for Jesus All I am and have And ever hope to be

For its only in Your will that I am free For its only in Your will that I am free

Jesus, all for Jesus All I am and have And ever hope to be

Everything I have oh God All my ambitions, hopes and plans oh God I surrender these all oh God I surrender these oh God

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:2-3)

To me, this commandment signifies that God demands our focus and attention on Him alone when it comes to divine things or objects of worship. Until recently I often took this to mean that other gods are false, or even that they don’t exist. I don’t read it that way anymore. If anything, it is a biblical confirmation that other gods do exists, and God is telling the Israelites as His very first commandment not to have them before Him.

What is a god? Is it a being that has attained a divine status, able to greatly influence mankind? Is it that thing in our life we expend a great amount of emotional energy thinking about, dedicating time to giving praise and thanks to instead of our divine creator?

This commandment doesn’t say to deny those things exist, or to avoid considering them, but to give credit where it is due. God is the originator of those things and alone deserves the praise and thanks for them along with the many other blessings He has provided us. When I read this commandment not, I start to consider the belief of other gods, but know that my worship belongs to the one true God. Many people have come into the world to influence masses of people with human teachings that appease carnal knowledge and passions. If we are swayed by their doctrine and start to live without God’s purposes in mind, then I believe we are breaking this commandment.

Let’s consider the latter type of god – the blessings we have that might distract us from our relationship with God. Money, friendships, popularity, competition, knowledge, innocence, good works, music, entertainment, stories, health and fitness, romance. These are all good things, many of which God commonly wants for us. If they become a priority in our lives, though, and we fail to acknowledge their source – God’s love – then that can become an existential problem. It’s like enjoying something without saying thanks to who made it possible. “Say thank you,” is what God is saying to us in this commandment, as a parent would say to their child when someone does something kind for them. We shouldn’t give praise and thanks to the act or provision itself, but to the one responsible, in turn strengthening our relationship with them, and acknowledging that we appreciate and benefit from their act of love.

The Israelites broke this commandment many times throughout the Bible. They were in the midst of it while Moses was up the mountain receiving it as a commandment:“1 When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” 2 So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.” 6 And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” (Exodus 32: 1-6).

What an odd turn of events. They lost their leader and it’s as if they needed something to collectively focus on, to unite them, but what they did was fashion an earthly image and declare it to be God that brought them out of Egypt.

Do we see this sort of behaviour elsewhere in society and around the world? Do people lose leaders guided by God and panic to find what will keep them united? Patriotism, humanism, communism, socialism, liberalism, conservatism, anarchism, atheism, moralism, postmodernism, religious dictatorships, military conquest, democracy. If God is not acknowledged by the masses, they might easily turn to these ideologies, declaring them the ultimate sources of progress and the responsibility of their happiness instead of their true originator. Most of those ideologies can and do bring real peace and progress to societies, but if God is not in the picture they will be corrupted by human abuse of power and lead to conflict and war.

To understand the dangers of being affected by substances from hallucinogens to simple stimulants like caffeine, I think an appreciation must be developed for the body’s natural development and maturity. Using substances to alter our minds and certain moods, we can have the danger of inhibiting us from maturing into better people.

If we simply feel bored, uncomfortable, confused or drained of energy, resorting to mind-altering substances to help change these conditions keeps us from learning how to let our body and mind naturally deal with and find solutions to these and many other common daily challenges. For instance, the tendency for social gatherings to resort to alcohol and drugs to “enhance” people’s moods, I think seriously inhibits the practice of those people to enhance their moods by their own wit and good reason. In some cases, high consumption of alcohol will cause people to completely forget the social experience, depriving them of the quality experience of social growth they could have had.

I’ve felt the impact of substance use, feeling uncomfortable at social gatherings unless there are others to partake in mind-altering substances with. Regrettably, it’s an indication of poor social maturity and development. Developing the habits of mind alteration instead of bringing an honest, sober self to an evening of social opportunity can greatly interfere with the benefits of a much better quality of social experience.

The effects of addiction bring this disruptive principle to many other areas of the life of the person affected. Unless they are influenced by a substance, they have great difficulty functioning on their own. What they feel is a solution to their problems is actually impeding them from letting their body and mind grow and mature through them naturally. Without the skills developed to face those problems, they may feel that their mind-altering substance is their only solution, and convince themselves they are unable to change. Their sober mind confronts them with their challenges and they can either let themselves face and deal with those challenges with courage, or fall to fear and escape the discomfort of doing so with their addiction.

To understand why gambling is frowned upon by many people, one must first understand and appreciate the concept of making an honest living. Being financially compensated for providing a beneficial service or product to the world is a very fulfilling way to be productive, and to the honest person it makes sense. As a practice of good virtue, each person should contribute their own good to the world. Doing so makes the world a better place for present and future generations, and for each person who does that, the feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day are immense. Receiving the financial compensation to live a life of comfort and good health seems a very just and deserving agreement.

Ideally, to the honest earner, every dollar should be put to wise use, either in providing for a secure, healthy and enjoyable family or personal life, putting away to savings, investing in ventures that will have a positive impact on the world, or donating to help people in need. With those good practices in mind, the notion of risking money to either gain more without having done any good to have honestly earned it, or to have an even greater chance to simply lose all of that hard-earned money completely based on chance is very poor reasoning.

Our place in this world is God’s gift to us.

His guidance will lead to fulfilling relationships and a beneficial unity that will strengthen any community.

Help the needy, heal the sick, visit the isolated.

When those in need are helped, society is healthier.

When they aren’t helped, crime rises, violence spreads, hospitals fill, services are burdened and lives are lost to suicide, overdose and other tragedies. Society suffers.

Instilling the values of virtuous living can keep anyone on track to make of their life a positive impact on the world every day. Through acts of love and thoughts of gratitude, the routines we sometimes come to regret become a foundation of wholesome fulfillment. Our jobs, our financial commitments and even paying taxes, once realised as acts of community support, become something to be joyful over.

Are you fully prepared for your spiritual battles? Include the armor of God from Ephesians6:10 into your daily prayers.

The Armor of God: https://t.ly/uFB6x

Posted from: https://thefiretongue.com/2023/01/16/living-for-eternity/ Dedicated to Queen Elisabeth II and my grandmother.

The thought of living forever changes my outlook on life in a very positive way. Though my time on Earth is limited, I’ve felt often as a comfort of love from God that my soul will live on into eternity. I don’t know fully what that will be like, but it inspires me and causes me to think about my time here on Earth in a different way. The question as to whether a person’s soul will live on after death is a very important one, and the guidance God has given us points to two possibilities– eternal destruction or eternal life.

Passing through life not knowing the outcome, one might feel frustrated, thinking what’s the point building and working on a life only to have it destroyed as we see through the inevitability of death. What we leave behind becomes an important purpose we can develop– our contributions, memories that others have of us and any children born. Naked a man comes into the world and naked a man leaves, but we have a chance to make an impact on the world while we’re here, hopefully improving it for future generations.

Still, the lives of the past and future will inevitably die, as will everyone currently living. Surely there must be a way for all those souls to continue to appreciate what they worked so hard and beautifully to make of the world that God has provided for us. I think there is, and along with other blessings that visions of heaven bring, it inspires me to make the most of my time here on Earth. Praise God!

Knowing that I’m going to be around to remember and see the results of everything I’ve done with my life makes me think more seriously about what I ought to be doing. The limited time we have is often enough for many to feel pressured to make the most of what they can, but the added hope of an eternity to enjoy after spurs the mind in many wonders. How will what we do here affect that eternity, and who will we be there with? Our minds are unable to even fully comprehend eternity, but the foundations of our own eternity seem to be rooted in how we develop our lives. 

When Queen Elisabeth II died, during her funeral service at Westminster Abbey, I thought of what I sometimes very joyfully contemplate when I think about life after death– that she will be one of the many amazing people throughout history that I will have a chance to meet in heaven. Among all the saints, beautiful souls will be there, some that we have learned to admire during our time alive. What will we say to them? What will we share with them about what we’ve done with the life of beauty God has provided us? We can think about these things now while on Earth and feel inspired to be better people and be encouraged to make a powerful impression on those great role models that the world has been fortunate to know. My inspiration for a long time was to one day meet Saint Joan of Arc. Knowing that I may one day have that opportunity fills me with a dedication to do what is right in God’s eyes, and do the things that saints and great people of the past would applaud. I also think of my grandmother who recently passed away, and how I can live my life knowing that I may one day tell her about it in heaven. That is how great people in this world can be made.

Full article: https://thefiretongue.com/2022/12/26/life-as-gods-kingdom/ This Christmas I started to think about what it is to feel life and the world as God’s Kingdom– to feel enchanted, like a saint, or a mystic, or just like the person you’ve always wanted to be, feeling deeply enriching natural ecstasy, discovering enlightened moments of divine wisdom–theosophy–and seeing my life as a continual process of benefit and love to the world we share. That’s what the Holy Spirit led me to. That’s what I found when I applied the teachings of Jesus to my life. That is the path that God leads me to show how to reveal the way to, by living devoutly to Him and His Word in every moment of every day. “Prepare ye the way of the Lord” (Mark 1:3).

Making ourselves the rich soil in which the seeds of the gospel will grow is a crucial starting point, and knowing if we are working with our own finite understanding or God’s ultimate illumination is the difference between directing the progress of His kingdom to our own selfish ambitions or His perfect plans for all. The key to discovering that is in growing daily in interaction and communication with God. Keeping our minds focused on things related to Him, even if just for a few moments each day, will condition our souls to know His presence. Read a scripture verse, say a prayer, acknowledge Him when you wake and when you go to sleep each day, and know what it is to commune with God as a regular habit. That will help anyone discern whether divine or human understanding is at work in your life. Have you brought a belief to God who will reveal His wisdom concerning it or have you formed it based on a limited capacity of knowledge?

When devotions are a foundation to each day, you will notice when they are absent by being skipped or forgotten. When all of your beliefs are in line with God’s, you will notice when your mind is processing a belief that just won’t sit right. This is the preparation of the soil that will grow the seeds of God’s Word to bear rich, nutritious fruit, and roots that will grow deep and strong. It will be an ever-present source of life-affirming confirmation of God’s love for you.

Speaking of the seed that “fell on good ground, sprung up and yielded a crop a hundredfold” (Luke 8:8), Jesus said “are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15). When we recognize the things of God, we value them and apply them to our lives as He guides us to. We mature.

If we don’t prepare our lives for the guidance of God, His divine wisdom–theosophy– will come into our lives, but easily wither away or become forgotten, and its enriching power will be lost to temptations and distractions. Know Him. Dwell on His Word and express your soul to Him daily. Prepare the temple of His spirit that He has made you to be and He will lead you to let your own spirit mature into the amazing person He wants you to be. You will feel what it is to be a part of His Kingdom and will probably start to wonder if other people have ever felt the same way.

When we learn to experience God’s presence each day, we also quickly learn what disrupts it– sin. Some days we might find ourselves fretting over trivial matters, our mind being tossed and turned by whimsical notions of no real importance, or barraged by negativity that evolves and develops instead of simply disappearing. What happened to the golden feelings that permeated our being just moments before? Why has a former way of experiencing life returned that seems so stale and pointless? We have likely let a sin come back into our life through a thought or a deed that we have difficulty acknowledging as such. When this mode of life returns to me, I immediately ask God to reveal why and He will focus my mind on a sin I committed. In that moment I deal with it. I confess and repent to God and later to a priest or brother or sister in Christ and receive forgiveness and prayer. The amazing feelings about life return and I feel God’s presence and favour again, ready to be guided in His ways and careful not to lose that opportunity again.

Some might go days, weeks, months or years not acknowledging sin in their life. They may not be familiar with God’s presence and have no issues with experiencing a life wrapped up in trivial matters. The seeds come into their life and turn them in the right direction once in a while, but they don’t take root or are strangled by thorns. The inevitable banality of life away from God’s presence returns and they may accept it as a part of life that is inescapable or simply purposeful in some unknown way. God may challenge them to consider their sin, but doing so is too uncomfortable –they lack courage. They might prefer their excuses for their sin, the comforts of non-confrontation and the challenge of pleasing themselves with their familiar life ignorant of God’s ways. People who live such a way, unfortunately, are on a slow path toward death. The wages of sin is death, and as much as God loves us, people who choose to hold on to their sin are doomed to follow its ultimate end — eternal destruction.